Iranian Instagram star Sahar Tabar is known for her extreme plastic surgery aesthetic— commonly referred to as “Zombie Angelina Jolie” for her haunting mix of cosmetic surgery tropes and Photoshop—but yesterday Tehran news agency Tasmin reported that the star had been arrested on multiple violations, including blasphemy, inciting violence and encouraging youths to corruption. This comes as part of the government’s crack down on Instagram influencers and the platform itself.
The Iranian government has arrested the owners of dozens of Instagram accounts, including fashion models, athletes and actors this year, according to investigations by the Center for Human Rights in Iran. While most influencers are released on bail, many are ordered to hand over their accounts, delete posts deemed to be immoral and in some cases, quit their professions. Since the Iranian Revolution in the late ‘70s, the country has enforced strict religious-based laws governing the consumption of alcohol and how much hair or skin women can show—these rules have been enforced in public, but authorities are now taking measures to enforce them in virtual spaces as well.
Apps like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Telegram are already banned in Iran, but the Iranian Security Council announced earlier this year that steps had been taken to add Instagram to the list as attempts to filter the content to adhere to local rules had failed.