Iranian Singer Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Performing Without Hijab

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has been sentenced to 74 lashes and a two-year ban from singing after she performed without a hijab in an online concert. The 27-minute video, posted on YouTube on December 11, 2024, showed Ahmadi in a black dress with bare shoulders, singing alongside four musicians in a historic caravanserai. The sentence was issued by the Criminal Court of Qom on charges of 'offending public morality.' Alongside Ahmadi, eight other team members and musicians were also sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition from artistic activities. The verdict was announced on Ahmadi's Instagram page. This case highlights the ongoing crackdown on women's rights in Iran, where authorities have increasingly used surveillance cameras to identify women not wearing the hijab.