An appeals court in Iran has confirmed a sentence of 74 lashes handed to prominent singer Parastoo Ahmadi after she performed without the mandatory hijab, according to her lawyers.
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. Public performances by women are also prohibited.
Iran’s judiciary opened proceedings against Ahmadi after the performance, describing it 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”.
They were sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year ban on audiovisual activities and a two-year travel restriction.
According to their lawyers, a higher court rejected their appeal on Friday without holding a hearing.
“In our view, holding the concert was not a crime at all,” one of the lawyers told the BBC. “The trial court imposed one of the harshest punishments for these charges, although fines and less severe penalties were also 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.”
The original sentence sparked widespread criticism, including from Iranian musicians and human rights groups.
Exiled singer Googoosh wrote on Instagram: “May these dark days come to an end, and may women regain the freedom to choose
how they live and dress, and may artistic expression once again flourish in our precious homeland.”
Musician Hossein Alizadeh said he was “willing to take 70 lashes in Parastoo Ahmadi’s place”.
Amnesty International also criticised the sentence, saying: “flogging constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, and violates the absolute prohibition on torture and other ill treatment”.
The 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, many Iranian women have appeared in public without head coverings in defiance of the dress code, while authorities have responded with arrests, warnings and other measures.
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