An Iranian appeals court has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes against singer Parastoo Ahmadi over a 2024 YouTube concert in which she performed without a headscarf.
WEBDESK | MEDIABITES
An Iranian appeals court has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes against singer Parastoo Ahmadi over a livestreamed concert in which she performed without the mandatory hijab, her lawyers said.
The court also upheld a two-year ban on audiovisual activities and a two-year travel restriction, according to reports citing Ahmadi’s legal team. The appeal was reportedly rejected without a hearing.
Ahmadi, 29, performed the concert in December 2024 at Iran’s historic Deyr Gachin Caravanserai. The performance was recorded without an audience and later published on her YouTube channel.
In the performance, Ahmadi sang alone, without a headscarf, wearing a sleeveless outfit. The video subsequently went viral and received millions of views.
Iranian authorities opened a case after the video was published, saying the performance violated the country’s legal and cultural regulations. A criminal court in Qom later convicted Ahmadi and eight other members of the concert’s band and production team.
The charges included offending public decency by producing and publishing what the court described as immoral or indecent material online. The original ruling imposed 74 lashes as well as restrictions on artistic activities and international travel.
Ahmadi’s lawyers have challenged the conviction, arguing that holding the concert was not a criminal act.
One of her lawyers said the trial court imposed one of the harshest available punishments despite having other sentencing options. The lawyer also criticized the appeals court for upholding the decision without conducting a hearing.
The case has drawn attention because Iranian authorities require women to observe compulsory dress rules in public and have long restricted women’s participation in solo public singing.
The 2024 performance became a prominent example of the tensions surrounding artistic expression and Iran’s restrictions on women’s public appearances.
Artists and rights groups react
The original sentence prompted criticism from Iranian artists and human rights organizations.
Iranian singer Googoosh criticized the punishment and expressed hope that women would regain greater freedom over their lives and clothing and that artistic expression could flourish in the country.
Musician Hossein Alizadeh also publicly expressed solidarity with Ahmadi.
Amnesty International has described flogging as cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and said its use violates the prohibition against torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
The latest ruling means the original sentence has been upheld on appeal, according to Ahmadi’s lawyers. Reports say the restrictions also apply to other people convicted in connection with the concert.
The case comes against the backdrop of years of debate over Iran’s compulsory hijab rules and women’s rights. In 2022, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by Iran’s morality police sparked nationwide protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.”
Iranian authorities subsequently continued enforcement actions against women accused of violating dress regulations, including arrests and restrictions on businesses.
The punishment imposed on Ahmadi has renewed international attention on the country’s treatment of women artists and the boundaries placed on artistic expression.
