In brief
An appellate court in Iran has confirmed a 74‑lash punishment for singer Parastoo Ahmadi after she performed without a hijab in a livestreamed concert. The judge upheld the harsher penalty over fines, citing the need to deter similar acts. The decision has drawn condemnation from activists and musicians, and echoes similar sentences imposed on women over modesty violations. The case sits alongside recent protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini and highlights Iran’s strict enforcement of Sharia‑based dress codes. The government’s response underscores a climate of repression amid broader social unrest.
Parastoo Ahmadi, a 29‑year‑old singer from Qom, faced a 74‑lash punishment after a music video leaked on YouTube that showed her performing in a sleeveless dress without a hijab.
Iranian law forbids women from holding public performances and mandates headscarves and modest clothing, citing religious morality. After the video gained millions of views, a criminal court in Qom convicted Ahmadi and eight band and production members on charges of "offending public decency" and publishing "obscene and indecent material."
The court's verdict imposed 74 lashes, a two‑year exile restriction, and a ban on all audiovisual work. The appeals court rejected further review, citing deterrence as the main aim, according to lawyers for the defendants.
International observers flag the lashes as cruel and inhumane. Amnesty International noted that flogging violates the absolute prohibition on torture and other ill treatment. On a broader scale, the sentence echoes a 2024 case where Kurdish‑Iranian activist Roya Heshmati was flogged 74 times over a photo without a hijab.
The decision echoes the nationwide outrage that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, which ignited protests against Iran's morality police. Women at the demonstrations burned or waved their headscarves, and the government responded with arrests, restrictions and, at times, violent crackdowns.
The crackdown continues amid economic crises and a strained geopolitical environment, as conservative officials argue that Iran must prioritise strategic concerns over domestic enforcement of dress codes. The story highlights the ongoing tension between personal freedom and state‑driven religious conformity in the Islamic Republic.
For more context, see BBC coverage of Iran protests and Amnesty International reports on Iran.
