Who Is Parastoo Ahmadi? Iranian Singer Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Singing Patriotic Song Without Hijab (Watch Video)
Iranian singer and composer Parastoo Ahmadi has drawn international attention after reports emerged that she and eight members of her production team were sentenced to 74 lashes each for a concert livestreamed on YouTube in December 2024. The ruling was reportedly issued by a criminal court in Iran's Qom province.
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Iranian singer and composer Parastoo Ahmadi has drawn international attention after reports emerged that she and eight members of her production team were sentenced to 74 lashes each for a concert livestreamed on YouTube in December 2024. The ruling was reportedly issued by a criminal court in Iran's Qom province.
According to reports, the court also imposed a two-year ban on all nine individuals from leaving the country and engaging in artistic activities. The case relates to a performance streamed on Ahmadi's YouTube channel that garnered millions of views worldwide. Iran: Woman Shot For Allegedly Violating Hijab Law in Noor, Left Paralysed from Waist Down.
Iranian Singer Sentenced to 74 Lashes for Performing Without Hijab in Viral YouTube Concert
One day after the U.S. signed a deal with the Islamic Republic، the regime in Iran, handed Parastoo Ahmadi 74 lashes for singing on YouTube.
They call America the Great Satan. And then they flew to the table and signed a deal with the «Devil«. But a woman’s voice scared them… pic.twitter.com/FMJdKD7EGZ
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) June 18, 2026
During the concert, Ahmadi appeared without the mandatory hijab and performed several songs, including the patriotic anthem "From The Blood Of The Youth of the Homeland." The event, held without a live audience, was presented as a protest against restrictions on women performers in Iran. Authorities later described the content as "vulgar and immoral" and initiated legal proceedings against those involved.
Parastoo Ahmadi became widely known after staging what she described as an "imaginary concert" at a historic caravanserai in Iran. Wearing a sleeveless black dress and appearing without a head covering, she livestreamed the performance on YouTube, earning support from many associated with the Women, Life, Freedom movement that emerged after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. Iranian Woman Gets Into Heated Argument With Cleric for Clicking Her Picture Without Hijab After It Slipped Off While Carrying Baby, Video Goes Viral.
The reported punishment has triggered criticism from activists and legal experts. Moein Khazaeli, a human rights attorney at Dadban, a legal counseling center for Iranian activists, said, “Singing, performing music and producing or disseminating musical works by women are not criminalised under Iranian criminal law. Consequently, such activities cannot reasonably be construed as the ‘production, distribution or publication of obscene content.’”
Iranian-British actor Nazanin Boniadi also condemned the ruling, stating, “The sentencing of singer Parastoo Ahmadi to flogging for the simple act of singing publicly without a hijab is a stark reminder that, despite talk in Washington of a ‘new regime’ in Iran, the Islamic Republic’s machinery of repression remains unchanged.”
The case has renewed concerns among artists and rights advocates about cultural censorship and restrictions on women's artistic expression in Iran.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 07:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
