Singer Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Performing Without Hijab

Iranian singer Parastu Ahmadiy and eight members of her team have been sentenced to 74 lashes. This follows the singer's performance without a hijab during a live broadcast in 2024, as reported by The Guardian.

The defendants were accused of creating and distributing "shameless and immoral content." In addition to the lashes, the Qom province criminal court banned them from leaving Iran for two years and prohibited them from engaging in creative activities during this period.

In December 2024, the 29-year-old singer performed the song "Az Qoone Javanane Vatan" ("From the Blood of the Homeland's Youth") without a hijab during a live broadcast, and the video widely spread on social media.

Shortly after, the singer and several musicians were briefly detained and later released. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities launched an official investigation into the publication of the video.

Parastu Ahmadiy's performance has been viewed nearly three million times on YouTube.

Bahor Ghandihariy, director of the advocacy department of the Center for Human Rights in Iran based in the US, commented that this sentence once again demonstrates that the human rights situation in Iran remains unchanged.

Furthermore, human rights lawyer Muin Hazaeli stated that singing, performing music, or creating works by women is not defined as a crime under Iranian law.