Iranian authorities recently launched a sting called “Spider II” that targeted “un-Islamic” online modeling on Instagram.
Investigators identified 170 potential lawbreakers on their way to arresting eight women, state media reported Monday. The operation was announced by Javad Babaei, the prosecutor for Tehran’s cybercrimes court.
The women’s offense: Photos allegedly show them not wearing headscarves.
“The persons who reformed their behavior after receiving a notice did not face any judicial action, and eight out of the 29 have been arrested,” Mr. Babaei said, Voice of America News reported Monday.
One of the suspected criminals, Elham Arab, was shown speaking to Mr. Babaei during a court hearing.
“All people love beauty and fame,” the woman said, the Associated Press reported. “They would like to be seen, but it is important to know what price they will pay to be seen.”
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, did not immediately respond to AP’s request for comment.
Women in Iran have not been permitted to be seen in public without a headscarf since 1979.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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