Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition on artistic activities after performing without a hijab in a livestreamed concert on YouTube in December 2024. The ruling was issued by the Criminal Court of Qom Province and also affects eight members of her production team and accompanying musicians.
The charges reportedly stem from the publication of what authorities described as «vulgar and immoral content» online. Ahmadi’s audience-free «Caravanserai Concert,» performed at a historic caravanserai near Qom, featured the singer appearing without the mandatory head covering while performing patriotic and traditional Iranian songs. The video quickly went viral, attracting millions of views and sparking widespread debate inside and outside Iran.
Ahmadi was briefly detained following the concert, and a legal case was later opened against her and the production team. Human rights organisations and legal experts have condemned the reported sentence, arguing that Iranian law does not explicitly criminalize women singing or producing music. They have also described flogging as a cruel and inhumane punishment.
The case has become a symbol of ongoing tensions over artistic freedom and women’s rights in Iran, where mandatory hijab laws remain strictly enforced despite years of public protests and civil disobedience.
