Rasmus Christian Elling, a PhD Fellow at Copenhagen University and the Carsten Niebuhr Institute, noticed that it was stated on the website Tâbnâk on 17 November 2008 that ‘a famous and morally corrupt rap singer’ had ‘recently’ been arrested.

“With the increasing numbers of rappers and the lack of respect of these individuals for moral and cultural issues, we have witnessed a spread in the use of foul and obscene language to rhythms,” the Tâbnâk article said.

Tataloo was said to have been giving performances abroad and was arrested when he returned to Iran.

‘Large-scale measures’
On the Tâbnâk website it was stated that in the near future, “large-scale measures for the arrest of morally corrupt rappers” will be taken.

The same threat was allegedly issued a couple of years ago when it was believed Hichkas, Pishro and other rappers had been taken into custody and intimidated by authorities.

Curbing the underground music
In late April 2007, when the authorities launched a crackdown on fashion, they also took steps to curb underground music. Some musicians were jailed, their recording studios raided and shut down. Most singers were freed once they promised not to produce any more underground music. The 27-year-old rapper Felakat was one of those arrested, later released on bail after his father posted his house as security.