An Iranian court has sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her production team to 74 lashes for performing in a concert streamed live on YouTube without wearing a hijab.
According to court documents cited by The Guardian, the ruling was issued by a criminal court in Iran’s Qom province. In addition to the flogging sentence, Ahmadi and the other artists were banned from leaving Iran for two years and barred from engaging in artistic activities for another two years.
The charges stem from the online publication of what authorities described as “vulgar and immoral content” that violated public decency laws.
Although Iran’s judiciary has not officially published the verdict, lawyers and rights groups who reviewed the court documents said the case reflects a wider crackdown on artists and cultural figures seen as challenging the country’s strict social and religious rules.
The controversy dates back to December 2024, when the 29-year-old singer performed the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland) during a concert streamed live on her YouTube channel.
The performance, in which she appeared without a hijab, quickly went viral and attracted millions of views.
Ahmadi and several musicians involved in the concert were briefly detained before being released. Authorities later filed formal charges over the video.
Reacting to the ruling, Bahar Ghandehari of the US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran said the punishment showed that the country’s human rights situation had not improved despite attempts by Iranian authorities to project a different image internationally.
She argued that the prosecution of artists exposed a gap between official government messaging and realities on the ground.
Human rights lawyer Moein Khazaeli also criticised the verdict, insisting that Iranian law does not criminalise singing, performing music or sharing musical works created by women.
He said imposing flogging on artists and activists raises serious concerns about Iran’s obligations under international human rights standards, noting that many rights organisations regard corporal punishment as a form of torture and degrading treatment.
The sentence has sparked concern among artists and activists, many of whom see it as a sign of increasing cultural repression.
Iranian-British actress Nazanin Boniadi described the punishment as evidence that Iran’s system of repression remains unchanged, despite recent diplomatic engagement with the United States.
Another Iranian actress, Setareh Maleki, who now lives in exile, said Ahmadi’s performance inspired her and symbolised resistance against censorship.
She praised the singer for continuing to exercise her right to perform despite knowing the possible consequences, adding that many Iranian women continue to challenge restrictions imposed on them and refuse to give up their voices.
