In a decision that has drawn international criticism, an appeals court in Iran confirmed a 74‑lash punishment for singer Parastoo Ahmadi after she performed a livestreamed concert without the mandatory hijab.
Ahmadi, 29, performed in a sleeveless dress during a December livestream that accumulated millions of views. Iran’s law prohibits women from performing publicly unless they wear modest clothing and a headscarf.
Following the video’s viral spread, prosecutors charged Ahmadi and her band with "offending public decency" and "obscene material." The criminal court handed not only the lash sentence but also a two‑year ban on any audiovisual activity and a travel restriction.
In its appeal decision, the higher court declined to hold a hearing and upheld the judgment, explaining that the punishment was intended to deter future violations.
Reactions have ranged from solidarity by artists such as Googoosh and musician Hossein Alizadeh, to condemnation from Amnesty International that the flogging is cruel, inhuman and degrading.
The case echoes earlier incidents, such as the flogging of Kurdish‑Iranian activist Roya Heshmati for a photo without a hijab in 2024, and sits against a broader backdrop of protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022 and ongoing enforcement of dress codes.
