THE TELEGRAPH: Members of Take it Easy Hospital, Iran's leading underground rock band, have applied for political asylum in Britain after one of the group was arrested following the disputed presidential election.
Four members of the Indie band were interviewed by the Home Office on Monday after submitting applications to remain in the UK.
"If I go back to Iran I will be arrested automatically because the authorities known [sic] what I have been doing," Ash Koosha, the lead singer told The Daily Telegraph. "Since the election things have got a lot worse. There is no hope in Iran for doing what I do.
"If we have any concerts or play our music in Iran, then we will get arrested."
As a woman, vocalist Negar Haghaghi would not be allowed to perform in public in Iran. Two other members, Pooya Koosha and Kabeh Ayati, have also applied for sanctuary in the UK.
A fifth member of the band was arrested in July when mass demonstrations filled the streets of the large cities. Protesters were attacked and detained while attempting to overturn the result of the election, which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won by a large majority. The band member has not been heard from since. >>> Damien McElroy and Benjamin Allen | Tuesday, August 11, 2009
