Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced to 74 lashes, along with a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition on artistic activities, by a court in Iran following a hijab-free online concert that circulated widely on social media.
The ruling by the Qom Criminal Court also applies to eight members of her production team. The case stems from a December 2024 performance filmed at the Deir-e Gachin Caravanserai, where Ahmadi appeared without a hijab while performing alongside male musicians.
Parastoo Ahmadi is an Iranian singer and filmmaker born in 1997. She studied film directing before moving into music, where she became known for performances of traditional and patriotic songs.
Her profile rose during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, when footage of her performing the song 'From the Blood of the Youth of the Nation' circulated widely online. The track became associated with protest activity across Iran during that period.
Her work has since been viewed in the context of artists whose performances gained attention during periods of political unrest in Iran.
The case centres on a 27-minute virtual concert published on YouTube in December 2024 and filmed at a historic caravanserai.
Ahmadi appeared with uncovered hair, wearing a black outfit, and performed alongside four male musicians. The performance was staged without a live audience, which she described as an 'imaginary audience'.
'I am Parastoo, a girl who cannot stay silent and refuses to stop singing for the people she loves. This is my right, one I will never surrender. I sing for this land I adore, for the soil of my homeland'.
The performance included the song 'From the Blood of the Youth of the Nation', previously performed during the 2022 protests.
The video was widely circulated online, including through VPN access inside Iran. Authorities later declared the concert illegal and initiated legal proceedings.
Source: International Business Times UK
