The Guardian:

A prominent Iranian songwriter was reportedly among five musicians arrested in a police raid in Tehran last week.

Roozbeh Bemani, 34, appears to have been among those charged with the "illegal production and distribution of underground music for Los Angeles-based musicians and satellite channels", the semi-official Isna news agency reported, without naming him.

The Iranian poet and composer Yaghma Golrouie helped publicise the arrests on Sunday in an open letter published by Pana, a news website run by students. The letter condemns the arrests and urges Iran's art community to take action against the government crackdown.

"The detained musicians, or in the words of police authorities 'notorious gang members', include songwriters Bemani and Afshin Moghaddam and composer Alireza Afkari … their work has significantly contributed to Iran's flourishing music industry and has always been within the framework of the Islamic Culture and Guidance Ministry," Golrouie wrote.

"This is how musicians are dealt with in Iran: Not only are they constantly warned of harsh retribution and arrest, but they are also labeled as criminals and gang members. As if such meaningless accusations would actually tarnish their reputation."

Golrouie said he would withdraw from his 15-year career in the music business as part of a "moral obligation" to defend Bemani and the jailed musicians. "Defending Bemani is defending the country's music industry."

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