Iranian Photographer Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Concert Image

Tahmineh Monzavi, an acclaimed Iranian documentary photographer, has been sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition on artistic activity by Iranian authorities. The charges stem from her photographing and filming a December 2024 concert by singer Parastoo Ahmadi, who performed without a hijab while livestreaming on YouTube. Monzavi's image was later exhibited at Photo London. The photographer, along with other production team members, was accused of 'offending public decency' and publishing 'vulgar and immoral content online.' Monzavi was previously arrested in 2012 for photographing drug users and sex workers in Tehran, spending a month in solitary confinement. She told The New World that photography remains essential for expressing her experiences, stating, 'No one can separate me from photography.' The punishment involves a three-foot whip, with reports of victims losing consciousness after a few strikes. Monzavi's work focuses on women and marginalized communities in Tehran.