Iranian singer sentenced to 74 lashes for singing without hijab

An Iranian singer has been sentenced to 74 lashes and a two-year ban from leaving the country and engaging in artistic activities for performing without a hijab in a viral online concert. Parastoo Ahmadi, 29, was convicted of offending public decency for her December 2024 performance, which was livestreamed on her YouTube channel and garnered millions of viewers.

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Ahmadi’s punishment of 74 lashes for merely singing and appearing without a hijab is yet another reminder that human rights conditions in Iran have not changed, despite the Iranian authorities’ wartime propaganda campaign aimed at improving their image.

The court's ruling also implicated eight members of her production team, including musicians. Authorities described the content as "vulgar and immoral." The performance featured Ahmadi singing a patriotic song, "Az Khoone Javanane Vatan" (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland), without the mandatory headscarf.

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Singing, performing music and producing or disseminating musical works by women are not criminalised under Iranian criminal law. Consequently, such activities cannot reasonably be construed as the ‘production, distribution or publication of obscene content’.

The sentence has drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations and artists. The Center for Human Rights in Iran criticized the punishment as a clear indication that human rights conditions in Iran remain unchanged, despite the government's efforts to improve its image. Human rights lawyer Moein Khazaeli questioned the legal foundation of the verdict, stating that singing and performing music by women are not criminalized under Iranian law.

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The sentencing of singer Parastoo Ahmadi to flogging for the simple act of singing publicly without a hijab is a stark reminder that, despite talk in Washington of a ‘new regime’ in Iran, the Islamic republic’s machinery of repression remains unchanged.

Prominent figures in the arts community have also voiced their opposition. Iranian-British actor Nazanin Boniadi described the sentencing as a "stark reminder" that the Islamic republic's repressive apparatus remains intact. Actor Setareh Maleki viewed Ahmadi's performance as an act of resistance, expressing pride in the singer's courage to assert her right to live, sing, and be heard despite the severe consequences.

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When I watched the video of Parastoo Ahmadi’s concert, it reignited the spirit of resistance in me. For days, I kept watching the videos over and over again, and I felt immensely proud of Parastoo.