Iranian Court Upholds 74 Lashes for Singer Who Performed Without Hijab

An appeals court in Iran has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes imposed on prominent singer Parastoo Ahmadi for performing without the mandatory hijab, her lawyers said.

Ahmadi, 29, performed in a sleeveless dress during a concert livestreamed on her YouTube channel in December 2024. The performance went viral and drew millions of views.

Iranian law requires women to cover their hair and dress modestly in public, and women are also barred from performing publicly.

After the concert, Iran's judiciary opened proceedings against Ahmadi, describing the performance as being "in violation of the country's legal and cultural regulations".

In June, a criminal court in Qom found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty of offences including "offending public decency" through the publication of "obscene and indecent material".

All nine were sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year ban on audiovisual activities and a two-year travel restriction.

According to their lawyers, a higher court dismissed their appeal on Friday without holding a hearing.

"In our view, holding the concert was not a crime at all," one of the 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 Court of Appeal, despite having the option of holding a hearing, did not hold a hearing and upheld the judgment. It appears that the main reason for issuing this judgment was to deter the recurrence of similar events."

The original sentence drew widespread condemnation, including from Iranian musicians and human rights groups.

Exiled singer Googoosh wrote on Instagram: "May these dark days come to an end, and may women regain the freedom to choose

how they live and dress, and may artistic expression once again flourish in our precious homeland."

Musician Hossein Alizadeh said he was "willing to take 70 lashes in Parastoo Ahmadi's place".

Amnesty International also condemned the sentence, saying: "flogging constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, and violates the absolute prohibition on torture and other ill treatment".

The case comes amid ongoing tensions over Iran's compulsory hijab rules, which became a major flashpoint in nationwide protests after the 2022 death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Since then, many Iranian women have appeared in public without head coverings in defiance of the dress code, while authorities have responded with arrests, warnings and other measures.

Since the quotes and the lawyer's remarks come from the BBC, you may want to credit the source in your published version.