Iran’s supreme leader and cleric, Ayatollah Khamenei released a statement claiming that learning and teaching music are “not compatible” with Islamic laws and values. According to Fars news agency, he said: “It’s better that our dear youth spend their valuable time in learning science and essential and useful skills and fill their time with sport and healthy recreations instead of music.” Khamenei made the comments after one of his followers asked him for advice on taking up music lessons. When Khamenei was president, he banned western-style music.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that music is incompatible with the Iranian revolution, and hence he is not available to dj at weddings, baptisms or bar mitzvahs. Shame.
In response to a question from a student, the “supreme leader” commented: “Although music is halal, promoting and teaching it is not compatible with the highest values of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic.”
Which makes now probably as good a time as any to tell you that the next issue of Index on Censorship magazine will focus on censorship of music and musicians.
The Belarusian “Public Council of Morality” have attempted to tone down any suggestion of homosexuality during Elton John’s imminent performance in Minsk. State officials have asked the singer’s management for early Elton albums to ensure that they are not “inconsistent with the law and morality”. Previous pride march attempts have been broken up by police in a state attempt to “prevent the promotion of homosexuality”.
A high school near the city of Shigatse in Tibet has banned teachers and pupils from having “separatist” ringtones on their mobile phones after they were ruled “unhealthy” by local education officials. A list of 27 popular Tibetan songs was posted on the school website, and anyone caught in possession of them was warned they would be “severely dealt with”.
