Iran Court Upholds 74 Lashes for Singer Who Performed Without Hijab

An appeals court in Iran has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes for singer Parastoo Ahmadi, who was found guilty of "offending public decency" after performing without the mandatory hijab during a livestreamed concert in December 2024. Ahmadi's lawyers announced the ruling on Friday, stating that the appellate court rejected their client's appeal without holding a hearing.

Ahmadi, 29, sang while wearing a sleeveless dress during a concert that was livestreamed on her YouTube channel. Iranian law prohibits public performances by women and mandates headscarves and modest clothing. The judiciary initiated proceedings against Ahmadi after the concert video gained millions of views, citing violations of the country's legal and cultural regulations.

In June, a criminal court in Qom reportedly convicted Ahmadi, along with eight members of her band and production team, on charges including "offending public decency" due to the publication of "obscene and indecent material." In addition to the lashing sentence, they received a two-year ban from audiovisual activities and from leaving the country.

"In our view, holding the concert was not a crime at all," one of Ahmadi's 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 lawyers expressed that the Court of Appeal's decision to uphold the judgment without a hearing "appears that the main reason for issuing this judgment was to deter the recurrence of similar events."

The initial sentence drew significant attention and condemnation on social media. Exiled singer Googoosh expressed hope for women's freedom of choice in dress and artistic expression, while musician Hossein Alizadeh offered to accept lashes in Ahmadi's place. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, denounced the sentence, calling flogging a "cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment."

This case follows similar instances of individuals being punished for dress code violations. In January 2024, Kurdish-Iranian activist Roya Heshmati was flogged 74 times for "violating public morals" after posting a photo without a hijab. She described a forced hijab placement and subsequent lashing by a male officer.

Under Iran's interpretation of Sharia law, women and girls above the age of puberty are required to cover their hair with a hijab and wear loose-fitting clothing. The country saw widespread protests in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained by morality police for allegedly improper hijab. These protests, which saw women openly defying the dress code, were met with a harsh crackdown by security forces.

Since the 2022 protests, many women have continued to forgo head coverings in public, leading authorities to implement measures such as arrests, warnings, and business closures. Earlier in the month, conservative politician Gholamali Haddad‑Adel suggested that ongoing international conflicts, specifically Iran's disputes with the U.S. and Israel, meant authorities could not fully enforce the hijab mandate at present.