Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of a production team, including musicians, have reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes following a concert that was livestreamed on her YouTube channel in 2024.
According to court documents, a criminal court in Qom province imposed the punishment alongside a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition on artistic activities. The charges reportedly included offending public decency through the production and publication of what authorities described as “vulgar and immoral content” online.
Although the ruling has not been published by the judiciary’s official news agency, lawyers and rights organisations that reviewed the documents said the case reflects a broader pattern of legal action against artists who publicly challenge state restrictions.
Viral performance sparks legal action
In December 2024, the 29-year-old singer performed the patriotic song “Az Khoone Javanane Vatan” (“From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland”) in a livestreamed concert while not wearing a hijab.
The performance quickly gained widespread attention online and accumulated millions of views on YouTube.
Ahmadi and several musicians were briefly detained shortly after the concert was released before later being freed. Authorities subsequently opened a formal case regarding the publication of the video.
Rights groups and lawyers criticise ruling
Bahar Ghandehari, director of advocacy at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, said the reported punishment demonstrated that human rights conditions in the country had not changed despite official efforts to improve its image.
She said the sentence highlighted what she described as a gap between official narratives and the treatment of artists.
Human rights lawyer Moein Khazaeli argued that the sentence lacked legal grounds.
According to Khazaeli, singing, performing music and producing or distributing musical works by women are not criminal offences under Iranian criminal law and therefore should not be classified as the production or publication of obscene content.
He also said the use of flogging raises concerns regarding international obligations related to human dignity and the prohibition of torture, noting that many human rights organisations regard such punishment as inhuman treatment.
Artists voice concern over cultural restrictions
The ruling has intensified concerns among some Iranian artists about increasing cultural restrictions.
Iranian-British actor Nazanin Boniadi said the reported sentence served as a reminder that repression remained in place despite discussions abroad about political change in Iran.
She argued that tolerating such actions would only encourage further restrictions on citizens seeking to exercise their rights.
Iranian actor Setareh Maleki, who left Iran after appearing in filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s Oscar-nominated film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”, said Ahmadi’s performance had a profound impact on her.
Maleki said repeatedly watching footage of the concert renewed her sense of resistance and admiration for Ahmadi’s determination despite the potential consequences.
She described the singer’s decision to perform as an assertion of a woman’s right to live, sing and be heard.
Maleki added that for many artists who refuse to comply with censorship inside Iran, daily life itself becomes a form of resistance.
While acknowledging progress made over time, she said many challenges remain and expressed gratitude for artists who continue to inspire hope through their work.
