Iranian Singer Parastoo Ahmadi Reportedly Sentenced to 74 Lashes Over Performing Without Hijab

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes and handed additional restrictions after performing a concert without wearing a hijab, according to human rights groups and legal advocates.

Ahmadi and eight members of her production team staged the “Caravanserai Concert” in 2024, which was livestreamed on her YouTube channel. During the performance, she sang the historic patriotic anthem, Az Khoon-e Javanan-e Vatan (“From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland”). Footage from the concert later gained widespread attention online.

Rights activists said a criminal court in Iran’s Qom province imposed the punishment on Ahmadi and several musicians involved in the event. In addition to the reported flogging sentence, the court allegedly banned them from leaving Iran and prohibited them from participating in artistic activities for two years.

The verdict has not yet been published by Iran’s official judiciary news agency. However, lawyers and rights organizations said court documents indicate that authorities accused Ahmadi and others of violating public morality laws by producing and sharing what was described as “vulgar and immoral content” on the internet.

Human rights advocates said the case highlights continuing concerns over freedom of expression and women’s rights in Iran.

Bahar Ghandehari, director of advocacy at the US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, described the reported sentence as evidence that conditions in the country remain unchanged despite attempts by Iranian authorities to improve their international image.

According to Ghandehari, the punishment reflects a sharp contrast between official narratives and the realities faced by artists and women in the country.

The development also drew reactions from academics and activists. Fatemeh Shams, a professor of Persian Literature at the University of Pennsylvania, condemned the reported punishment in posts shared on X.

Shams argued that lasting peace cannot exist where women and political prisoners are subjected to violence and where punishment is used to suppress freedom of expression. She further stated that genuine peace requires a society where individuals are not criminalized for singing, studying, working or expressing personal opinions.

The case has generated renewed debate among rights groups over artistic freedom and the treatment of women in Iran, with campaigners calling attention to what they describe as continued restrictions on civil liberties and cultural expression.