Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi sentenced to 74 lashes for singing without hijab

An appeals court in Iran has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes handed down to
a popular female singer for performing without a headscarf.

The sentence was upheld by a lower court without a formal hearing, the BBC reported, citing lawyers.

The 29-year-old singer, Parastoo Ahmadi, performed a song in a sleeveless dress without a headscarf during a concert broadcast live on her YouTube channel in December 2024.

Iranian law prohibits women from singing in public and has strict rules for women to wear the hijab and modest clothing.

Ahmadi’s video was viewed by millions of people when it went viral on social media. After the video went viral, Iran’s judiciary filed a case against her, calling it a ‘violation of legal and cultural norms.’

In June, a criminal court in Qom province convicted Ahmadi and eight members of his band of ‘outraging public decency by publishing obscene content.’

The court sentenced Ahmadi to 74 lashes, as well as a two-year ban on all audio-visual work and a ban on leaving the country.

An appeal against the verdict was dismissed without a hearing on Friday.
“In our view, the concert was not a crime,” Ahmadi’s lawyer told the BBC.

“While there is scope for monetary fines or light sentences in these cases, the trial court imposed one of the harshest sentences.

The appeals court did not hold a hearing and upheld the previous verdict. It seems that this ruling was made to create fear so that no one repeats such an incident in the future.”