Iranian folk singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced to 74 lashes in her homeland for the crime of not wearing a hijab while performing in public.
According to court documents obtained by The Guardian, the case stems from a December 2024 livestream event. At the time, the 29-year-old singer performed the patriotic tune “As Khoone Javane Vatan”. This translates to “From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland” in Persian.
Eight others were also sentenced to lashings, along with Parastoo Ahmadi
During her performance, Ahmadi did not wear a hijab, which is a common symbol of the Muslim faith. The New York Post reports that Iranian authorities detained Ahmadi and eight members of the livestream production team.
They were eventually released, but subsequently, all were sentenced to lashings. They were all also given a two-year ban on leaving the country, as well as a two-year ban on engaging in artistic activities.
In response, many human rights advocates have heavily criticized the sentencing.
“Singing, performing music, and producing or disseminating musical works by women are not criminalized under Iranian criminal law,” stated Moein Khazaeli, a human rights lawyer. “Consequently, such activities cannot reasonably be construed as the ‘production, distribution or publication of obscene content.’”
Bahar Ghandehari, the director of advocacy at the US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, also issued a statement. “Ahmadi’s punishment of 74 lashes for merely singing and appearing without a hijab is yet another reminder that human rights conditions in Iran have not changed, despite the Iranian authorities’ wartime propaganda campaign aimed at improving their image,” they said.
Parastoo Ahmadi is not the first singer to face this sentencing in the Islamic Republic of Iran
This is not the first time that this kind of case has come up in Iran. On March 5, 2025, singer Mehdi Yarrahi was subjected to 74 lashes. This was in connection with his song “Your Headscarf (Roosarito)”. It was meant to honor the anniversary of the Women, Life, Freedom uprising.
Notably, that movement was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was arrested for not wearing a hijab in public. While authorities claimed she suffered a heart attack at the police station, eyewitnesses reported that she was severely beaten. Amini was taken to a hospital, where she stayed in a coma for two days before passing away.
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