Singer Parastoo Ahmadi receives 74-lash sentence over viral concert without headscarf

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes for performing in an online concert without wearing a hijab, in defiance of the country's strict Islamic dress code.

According to a report by The Guardian, the 29-year-old singer and eight members of her production team have also been banned from travelling abroad and engaging in artistic activities for two years.

The punishment stems from a concert streamed on Ahmadi's YouTube channel in December 2024, during which she performed the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland). The performance later attracted millions of views online.

During the concert, Ahmadi appeared without a headscarf and wore a long black dress that left her shoulders uncovered, drawing widespread attention and sparking legal action by authorities.

The singer and her team were accused of violating public decency laws by producing and sharing content deemed "vulgar and immoral." However, the ruling has not yet been officially published by Iran's judiciary news agency.

Under regulations introduced following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran are required to cover their hair in public and are prohibited from performing solo singing concerts in public.

The case has once again drawn international attention to Iran's restrictions on women's dress and artistic expression.