Outrage has erupted over the sentencing of Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her music and production team to 74 lashes after a concert streamed live on YouTube, during which the artist appeared without wearing a hijab.

According to court documents cited by human rights organisations and lawyers, the criminal court of Qom province imposed, in addition to flogging, a two-year ban on leaving Iran and a two-year ban on engaging in artistic activity.

Authorities accused them of “offending public modesty” and of producing and publishing “immoral and vulgar content” online.

The case relates to a concert held in December 2024, broadcast live on Ahmadi’s YouTube channel. The 29-year-old singer performed the patriotic song “Az Khoone Javanane Vatan” (“From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland”) without wearing a hijab, in a performance that quickly went viral and amassed millions of views.

Shortly after the video was published, Ahmadi and several musicians were arrested by Iranian authorities before being released. However, the judicial investigation continued and resulted in the imposition of the sentences.

Reactions from Human Rights Organisations

Bahar Ghandehari, advocacy director at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, described the sentence as “yet another proof that the human rights situation in the country remains unchanged.”

“The punishment of Parastoo Ahmadi with 74 lashes for singing and appearing without a hijab exposes the gap between the image the regime tries to project and the reality experienced by citizens,” she said.

Human rights lawyer Moein Hazhaeli argued that the ruling is not based on Iranian criminal law, stressing that neither singing nor the production of musical works by women constitutes a criminal offence.

He further emphasised that flogging is considered by many international organisations to be a form of torture and inhuman treatment, raising serious questions about Iran’s compliance with its international obligations to protect human rights.

The case has sparked strong reactions both inside Iran and within the Iranian diaspora, with many artists describing it as an escalation of cultural repression and an attempt to intimidate those who challenge the strict social rules imposed by the authorities.