Iranian Singer Reportedly Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Performing Without Hijab

Overview

• In December 2024 Parastoo Ahmadi streamed a live concert on YouTube in which she sang without a hijab and the video drew millions of views.
• Documents reviewed by The Guardian and cited by other outlets say a Qom criminal court sentenced Ahmadi to 74 lashes, convicted eight production staff and imposed two-year bans on leaving Iran and on artistic activity.
• Officials have not published the verdict through Iran’s judiciary news agency, so the case rests on leaked court papers and reporting rather than an official announcement.
• Human-rights groups and lawyers have condemned the punishments and argued they lack clear basis in Iran’s penal code because singing and female musical performance are not explicitly criminalized.
• The case was brought in Qom, Iran’s conservative religious center, and rights groups warn the sentence could chill other artists by signaling that online viral performances risk corporal and administrative sanctions.