- Selena Gomez praised on Instagram the Iranian teenagers who were detained over a TikTok dance.
- In the viral video, five teenagers danced to "Calm Down" by Gomez and Nigerian singer Rema.
Selena Gomez praised the teenagers who were detained by Iranian authorities earlier this month after performing a TikTok dance to one of her songs, describing them as "courageous" on Instagram.
Gomez wrote in an Instagram story that her heart went out to "these young women and all the women of Iran who continue to be courageous demanding fundamental changes."
"Please know your strength is inspiring," she added.
On International Women's Day – March 8 — the five girls had recorded a video of themselves dancing to "Calm Down," by Gomez and Nigerian singer Rema, in front of a tower block in a suburb of Tehran.
In the video, which was widely shared on social media, they are dancing in public, wearing crop tops, and none have their heads over — all of which is illegal under Iranian law.
According to the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Iranian authorities detained the teenagers for around 48 hours after the video was posted.
The newspaper also reported that they were forced to return to the same spot where they recorded their first video in order to record a second one of themselves repenting, this time with their heads covered.
News of their detention led to other Iranian women replicating the dance.
It also followed large-scale protests in Iran last year, after the suspicious death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, who was detained for allegedly violating the country's mandatory hijab law.
In the aftermath of Amini's death, mass protests took place, with women burning their hijabs in the streets or removed their headscarves in protest at Iran's theocratic and authoritarian regime.
Gomez's message of support accompanied a post by Global Citizen, a non-profit organization.
Many comments under the post said they had been alerted to the news of the Iranian teenager's detention by Gomez's Instagram message.
"We're here from Selena Gomez's story," said one user.
"Thank you for posting about this Selena. These girls don't deserve this," said another.
Rema, who collaborated with Gomez on "Calm Down," also shared his praise for the teenagers in a tweet last week.
He wrote: "To all the beautiful women who are fighting for a better world, I'm inspired by you, I sing for you and I dream with you."
—REMA (@heisrema) March 14, 2023