Parastoo Ahmadi faces 74 lashes after appeals court rejects her case
- Parastoo Ahmadi, a 29-year-old Iranian singer, faces 74 lashes after an appeals court rejected her case without a hearing on Friday, according to legal counsel representing the defendants.
- A criminal court in Qom found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty in June of charges that included offending public decency through the...
- News of the initial sentence prompted widespread reactions across social media from prominent artists and human rights organizations.
Parastoo Ahmadi, a 29-year-old Iranian singer, faces 74 lashes after an appeals court rejected her case without a hearing on Friday, according to legal counsel representing the defendants. The judiciary targeted the artist after a December 2024 livestreamed YouTube concert featured her performing in a sleeveless dress without the mandatory hijab. Iranian laws strictly forbid public performances by women and enforce mandatory headscarves and modest attire based on the government’s interpretation of Sharia.
Legal Proceedings and Penalties in Qom
A criminal court in Qom found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty in June of charges that included offending public decency through the publication of obscene and indecent material. The tribunal imposed 74 lashes alongside a two-year ban on audiovisual activities and a two-year travel ban preventing them from leaving the country. Legal representatives for the defendants noted that while fines and less severe punishments were available, the trial court chose one of the harshest penalties. One lawyer stated to the BBC that holding the concert was not a crime at all, while adding that the Court of Appeal chose not to hold a hearing in order to deter the recurrence of similar events.
Public Outcry and Human Rights Condemnation
News of the initial sentence prompted widespread reactions across social media from prominent artists and human rights organizations. Exiled singer Googoosh posted on Instagram expressing hope that dark days would end and women would regain freedom of choice in daily life and artistic expression. Musician Hossein Alizadeh publicly stated that he was willing to take 70 lashes in Ahmadi’s place. Meanwhile, Amnesty International condemned the sentence, warning that flogging constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment that violates the absolute prohibition against torture and other ill-treatment.
Precedent of Flogging Cases in Iran
The judicial action mirrors prior enforcement actions against citizens defying public dress codes in the Islamic Republic. In January 2024, Kurdish-Iranian activist Roya Heshmati received 74 lashes following a conviction for violating public morals over a social media photograph showing her without a hijab. According to the Kurdish rights group Hengaw, Heshmati reported that a female officer forcibly placed a scarf on her head at a Tehran prosecutor office before a male officer whipped her shoulders, back, hips, and legs.
Wider Unrest and Enforcement Shifts
Mandatory hijab laws triggered nationwide demonstrations across Iran following the September 2022 death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who morality police detained for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly. Security forces killed hundreds of people during the ensuing crackdown, where women publicly burned or waved headscarves. Many women and girls continue to go without headscarves in open defiance, leading authorities to respond with arrests, warnings, and business closures. Gholamali Haddad-Adel, a conservative politician, Expediency Council member, and father-in-law of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, noted earlier this month that ongoing conflicts with the United States and Israel mean authorities cannot engage on the hijab enforcement front as much as required for the time being.