Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes after she performed without wearing a hijab during a livestreamed performance.
Follow Our WhatsApp Channel here
The 29-year-old singer attracted attention in December 2024 after she wore a sleeveless dress while performing and streamed the concert on her YouTube channel.
Under Iran’s laws, women are required to wear headscarves and modest clothing in public spaces. Following the release of the performance, Iranian authorities opened legal proceedings against Ahmadi.
According to reports, prosecutors said the performance violated the country’s legal and cultural regulations after the video received millions of views online.
Follow Our Telegram Channel here
In June, a criminal court in Qom reportedly found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty of charges including “offending public decency” through the publication of “obscene and indecent material.”
Alongside the 74 lashes sentence, Ahmadi and the other defendants were reportedly banned from audiovisual activities and restricted from leaving the country for two years.
On Friday, the defendants’ appeal was rejected by a higher court without a hearing, according to their lawyers.
One of Ahmadi’s lawyers told the BBC that the defence team believed the performance should not have been treated as a crime.
“In our view, holding the concert was not a crime at all,” the lawyer said.
The lawyer also argued that the court imposed a severe punishment despite other possible penalties being available.
“The Court of Appeal, despite having the option of holding a hearing, did not hold a hearing and upheld the judgment. It appears that the main reason for issuing this judgment was to deter the recurrence of similar events.”