Iranian singer sentenced to 74 lashes after performing without mandatory hijab

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced to 74 lashes after an appeals court upheld her punishment over a performance in which she appeared without the country’s mandatory hijab.

Ahmadi, 29, performed in a sleeveless dress during a concert livestreamed on her YouTube channel in December 2024. The performance went viral and attracted millions of views.

Iranian law requires women to cover their hair and wear modest clothing in public, while public performances by women are also prohibited.

Following the performance, Iran’s judiciary opened proceedings against Ahmadi, describing the concert as being “in violation of the country’s legal and cultural regulations.”

In June, a criminal court in Qom found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty of offences including “offending public decency” through the publication of “obscene and indecent material.”

The court sentenced them to 74 lashes, a two-year ban on audiovisual activities and a two-year travel restriction.

According to Ahmadi’s lawyers, a higher court rejected their appeal on Friday without holding a hearing.

One of her lawyers told the BBC that the concert did not constitute a crime and argued that the trial court had imposed one of the harshest available punishments.

The lawyer also said the appeals court could have held a hearing but instead upheld the original judgment, adding that the punishment appeared intended to deter similar performances.

The sentence has attracted criticism from Iranian musicians and human rights organisations.

Exiled singer Googoosh criticised the punishment and called for women to regain the freedom to choose how they live and dress, while musician Hossein Alizadeh said he was willing to take the lashes in Ahmadi’s place.

Amnesty International also condemned the sentence, describing flogging as cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and saying it violates the prohibition against torture and other ill-treatment.

Ahmadi’s case comes amid continued tensions over Iran’s compulsory hijab rules, which became a major focus of nationwide protests following the 2022 death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Since then, some Iranian women have continued appearing in public without head coverings in defiance of the dress code, while authorities have responded with arrests, warnings and other measures.