Seven Iranians sentenced to jail and lashes for ‘Happy’ video

Six Iranians who appear in a video dancing to Pharrell Williams’ song Happy and the video’s director have been sentenced to suspended jail terms and lashes.

Defence lawyer Farshid Rofugaran said the seven have been sentenced to six months in jail and 91 lashes each, though the verdict will not be carried out unless the defendants commit crimes and are found guilty in the future.

The suspended jail term is the punishment for acting in the video and the lashes are over ignoring Islamic norms, according to Mr Rofugaran.

He said one of the defendants also received another suspended sentence of six months over charges of possessing alcohol, which is banned in Iran.

The seven men and women were arrested in May, but were released soon after.

PA