The Iranian regime sentenced a singer to 74 lashes for performing a concert without the Islamic veil

The terrorist regime of Iran confirmed the conviction against singer Parastoo Ahmadi for having shared a recorded concert on the internet without the Islamic veil.

Room 16 of the Qom Court of Appeals rejected the appeals filed by the defense and upheld the sentence issued in June by Room 122 of the Provincial Criminal Court.

The ruling establishes a penalty of 74 lashes for Ahmadi, in addition to two years of prohibition from singing and leaving the country. The same sanctions were imposed on four musicians and another four individuals involved in the production of the show.

The case began on December 11, 2024, when the singer posted a 27-minute video on YouTube presented as a “hypothetical concert.” The recording had been made at the historic caravanserai of Deir Gachin, in Qom province, and showed Ahmadi in a long black dress, with bare shoulders and without a hijab.

During the performance, the singer performed various songs accompanied by four male musicians. Among them was “Az Khoon-e Javanan-e Vatan”, known in Spanish as “From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland,” a patriotic Iranian anthem. After its release, the images spread widely across social media.

The accusation against the singer

Less than a day after the video was published, Iranian authorities targeted her. The process began for performing without authorization and for violating the legal and religious norms in force in Iran.

The court found that the show had engaged in conduct contrary to "moral and religious norms" due to Ahmadi's appearance without the Islamic veil and the presence of male musicians during the performance.

According to court documents reviewed by lawyers and human rights organizations, the accusation also included the production and publication on the internet of content deemed “vulgar and immoral”, in addition to an offense against public decency.

The defense of the singer and the other defendants argued that the work had an artistic character and that there was no criminal intent. However, these arguments were rejected by the appeals court, which confirmed the previously established penalties.

Iranian legislation restricts the musical activities of women. Female singers cannot record albums or perform concerts for mixed audiences.

Female performances are only allowed in front of audiences composed of women and without video cameras or photographs. Furthermore, the use of the hijab is mandatory in public spaces since the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

The precedent during the 2022 protests

Ahmadi had already faced another complaint in 2022, when she shared the song “From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland” during the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Amini died after being detained by the Morality Police, who deemed the way she wore her veil inappropriate.

The confirmation of the conviction against Ahmadi occurred in a context of tension surrounding the mandatory hijab.

Human rights organizations questioned the ruling. Bahar Ghandehari, advocacy director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, based in the United States, stated that the sentence “is another reminder that human rights conditions in Iran have not changed.”