Iranian Parkour Athletes Arrested Over Viral Pics Of Rooftop Kiss

Alireza Japalaghy and his stunt partner were arrested after photos of the couple kissing on a rooftop were widely circulated on social media last week.

Two parkour athletes have been arrested in Iran over photos that show them kissing on a rooftop. Alireza Japalaghy, a popular parkour athlete, and his stunt partner were arrested after photos of the couple kissing on a rooftop were widely circulated on social media last week. According to BBC, Tehran police said their “unconventional moves, which were contrary to custom and Sharia” law led to their arrest. 

“This individual has been arrested by Tehran’s cyber police,” the capital’s police chief Hossein Rahimi was quoted as saying by semi-official news agency ISNA.

“We are against this individual and his companion’s norm-breaking and vulgar behaviour and the police and the judiciary will certainly deal with them,” he added, without naming the person who was arrested.

While Mr Japalaghy was arrested last Monday, the woman in the photos – who has not been publicly identified by police – was taken into custody on Thursday. 

“Images of a young boy and girl who exhibited improper and unreligious behavior were published on social media. These people were arrested by the police with the judiciary officials’ command, because what they did was a sample of ‘advocating vice,'” reads the police statement, reported by Tasnim News Agency, according to ABC News. 

Their detention was widely critcised on social media, with many speaking out in support of the parkour athlete who is famous in Iran for his acrobatic stunts.

Mr Japalaghy had posted a series of photos and videos last week showing him and an unidentified woman in revealing outfits hanging off buildings and kissing.

Under the Islamic dress code, women can only show their face, hands and feet in public and are supposed to wear only modest colours.

In an Instagram video on Monday, he said he had received “suspicious calls” telling him to turn himself in or be arrested publicly.

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His brother posted an update on the same account the next day, saying Alireza had been taken from their home and arrested.

Parkour, also known as freerunning, is a  physical discipline of training where athletes traverse obstacles in a man-made or natural environment without any supporting equipment. The aim is to cross the obstacles in the most efficient way possible.