A video showing an 11-year-old girl marrying her 22-year-old cousin in rural Iran has drawn new attention to a practice many Iranians believe to be in decline. But our Observer says child marriage is still common in some rural areas. Read More
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Teenage girl in Iran beaten by police after playing with water guns in park
A video of a teenage girl in Tehran being violently arrested by police after playing with water guns has sparked fury among Iranian internet users.
In the video, taken on June 22, a plainclothes officer is seen forcing the 15-year-old girl into a police car as she shouts and attempts to resist. Read More
Breaking windows, assaulting citizens: do Afghan MPs think they’re above the law?
A video of a Kabul shop owner being hit by an MP’s bodyguard has enraged online users in Afghanistan. But the incident is hardly the first example of the use of force by an elected official or a member of his team. Read More
Iranian label accused of organizing ‘un-Islamic’ fashion show
Organizers of a fashion show in Iran were charged after videos of the event, which featured fantasy-inspired dresses and women not wearing hijabs, surfaced on social media. The outfits were considered by the public prosecutor to have strayed too far from traditional Islamic clothing. Read More
War of fake images erupts between India and Pakistan
The Pakistani army shot down at least one Indian military jet overnight from February 26-27, escalating tensions between the two nuclear powers. Read More
‘Bravo Voria!’ cheer Iranian football fans for defender who spoke out on economy
Voria Ghafouri – already a star defender for Tehran’s Esteghlal FC – has become a hero in Iranian football for speaking out about an economic crisis that has led to soaring food prices. Read More
Iranians attack morality police van to save women from arrest
Iran’s long-feared “morality police” are increasingly facing resistance from women they try to arrest under the country’s strict hijab laws. Read More
Why sharing this video of a surfer riding a huge wave will cost him money
The footage is impressive: It shows a surfer riding an immense wave, and he looks miniscule against the towering wall of water. The video was filmed back in 2017 but it recently popped up on social media and started circulating widely. Read More
Iran bans pop group after female guitarist sings solo before mixed crowd
Iranian singer Hamid Askari and his band performed a concert on January 30 in Milad Tower Music, a well-known venue in Tehran. However, they won’t be performing again soon. After that concert, Read More
Debunked: No, this palm tree isn’t magically floating in the air
A number of readers in West Africa sent messages to the FRANCE 24 Observers team asking us to fact-check a video that has been shared across WhatsApp groups in the region. In the video, a palm tree is apparently floating through the air, as if by magic. Read More
Ershad Alijani 