Iran Court Upholds 74-Lash Sentence for Singer Parastoo Ahmadi Over Hijab-Free Concert
An appeals court in Iran has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes against singer Parastoo Ahmadi, who performed in a livestreamed concert without the mandatory hijab. The decision has renewed international criticism of Iran’s dress code and its treatment of women artists.
Ahmadi, 29, performed with her band in December 2024 in a concert streamed on her YouTube channel. She sang in a sleeveless dress with her hair uncovered. There was no audience in the hall. The video spread widely and reportedly gained millions of views, after which the judiciary opened proceedings. Under Iranian law, women must cover their hair and wear modest clothing in public, and public performances by women are prohibited.
According to reports, a criminal court in Qom convicted Ahmadi and members of her band and production team in June. Alongside the 74 lashes, the sentence includes a two-year travel ban and a two-year ban on audiovisual or artistic activities. Iranian media reports say the appeals court found that the performance breached public decency through the production and publication of obscene and immoral content on online platforms. The ruling was described as final and enforceable.
Ahmadi’s lawyers said the appeals court confirmed the earlier verdict without holding a hearing. They argued that the concert should not be considered a crime and said the punishment was one of the harshest available, noting that fines or lighter measures could have been used. The defence also said the sentence appears intended in part to deter similar performances in the future. Human rights lawyers questioned the legal basis of the ruling, saying artistic activity does not automatically amount to producing obscene material.
The case has drawn strong reactions. Amnesty International condemned the sentence, saying flogging is cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that violates the prohibition on torture and other ill-treatment. Veteran musician Hossein Alizadeh said he was willing to take 70 lashes in Ahmadi’s place. Exiled singer Googoosh also called for an end to restrictions on how women live and dress.
The ruling comes at a tense moment. Iran’s hardline judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, has called for a renewed crackdown on opposition to the hijab rules, describing non-compliance as “nudity” and a “social abnormality.” Rights groups say authorities have stepped up pressure on dissent while the country is in conflict with the United States and Israel. Separately, prosecutors have opened a case against a production company after two actors embraced on stage in a play.
Compulsory hijab has been a flashpoint since the 2022 death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which triggered nationwide protests. Many Iranian women have since appeared in public without head coverings, and authorities have responded with arrests, warnings and other measures. In January 2024, Kurdish-Iranian activist Roya Heshmati was flogged 74 times over a social media photograph in which she was not wearing a hijab, according to the rights group Hengaw.
It is not yet clear when or whether the sentence against Ahmadi will be carried out. Rights groups and her supporters are expected to keep pressing for it to be dropped.
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