Iranian singer sentenced to 74 strokes of cane and other penalties for performing without hijab

• Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced to 74 lashes for performing without a hijab.

• She was also handed a two-year travel ban and a two-year ban on artistic activities.

• The case stems from a livestreamed 2024 concert that attracted millions of online views.

• Human rights groups and legal experts have condemned the punishment as repressive and lacking legal basis.

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition from engaging in artistic activities after performing in a livestreamed concert without wearing the country's mandatory hijab.

The ruling, handed down by a criminal court in Iran's Qom Province, has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and artists, who say the punishment reflects a broader crackdown on cultural expression and women's rights in the Islamic Republic. 

Ahmadi, 29, drew international attention in December 2024 when she performed without a hijab during a concert broadcast on her YouTube channel. During the performance, she sang the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan("From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland"), a piece closely associated with Iranian nationalism and resistance. The video quickly went viral, attracting millions of views online. 

According to court documents reviewed by rights groups and lawyers, Ahmadi and eight members of her production team were convicted on charges related to what Iranian authorities described as the production and publication of "vulgar and immoral content" online. The court sentenced all nine individuals to 74 lashes each, a two-year ban on leaving the country and a two-year ban on artistic activities. 

The case stems from what rights groups described as the "Caravanserai Concert," a symbolic audience-free performance that was livestreamed online. Shortly after the concert was released, Ahmadi and several musicians involved in the production were reportedly arrested before later being released on bail. Authorities subsequently filed a formal case against the artists. 

Human rights organisations have strongly condemned the sentence.

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Bahar Ghandehari, Director of Advocacy at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, described the punishment as evidence that conditions for artists and women in the country remain unchanged.

"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," Ghandehari said. 

Human rights lawyer Moein Khazaeli also questioned the legal basis of the conviction, arguing that Iranian criminal law does not criminalise women singing or producing musical works.

"Singing, performing music and producing or disseminating musical works by women are not criminalised under Iranian criminal law," he said. 

Khazaeli further argued that corporal punishment such as flogging raises serious concerns under international human rights standards, noting that many organisations consider it a form of torture and inhuman treatment. 

The sentence has also drawn reactions from prominent Iranian figures living in exile. Iranian-British actress Nazanin Boniadi described the punishment as a reminder that repression remains deeply entrenched in Iran despite attempts by authorities to improve the country's image abroad. 

Meanwhile, exiled Iranian actress Setareh Maleki praised Ahmadi's decision to perform despite the risks involved.

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"Knowing all the consequences she would have to face, she still refused to give up her right, as a woman, to live, to sing and to be heard," Maleki said. 

The ruling comes years after nationwide protests over women's rights and compulsory hijab laws, which intensified following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022. Rights groups say the prosecution of Ahmadi is part of an ongoing effort by Iranian authorities to deter cultural dissent and enforce strict social restrictions.