Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her production team have reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition from artistic activities for their involvement in a livestreamed concert that challenged Iran’s strict cultural and dress code regulations.
According to court documents reviewed by lawyers and human rights organizations, a criminal court in Qom province convicted the artists on charges including offending public decency through the production and publication of what authorities described as “vulgar and immoral content” online.
The ruling stems from a December 2024 performance in which Ahmadi appeared without a hijab while singing the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan (“From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland”) during a concert streamed on YouTube. The performance quickly gained widespread attention, attracting millions of views and becoming a symbol of cultural resistance among many Iranians.
Following the livestream, Ahmadi and several accompanying musicians were briefly detained before being released. Authorities later initiated formal legal proceedings related to the publication of the video.
Human rights advocates have condemned the reported sentence, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on artists, activists, and public figures who openly challenge state-imposed restrictions.
The case has sparked reactions from prominent members of the Iranian diaspora. Iranian-British actress Nazanin Boniadi described the sentence as evidence that the Islamic Republic’s repressive apparatus remains intact despite discussions abroad about political change in Iran.
Meanwhile, exiled Iranian actress Setareh Maleki said Ahmadi’s performance inspired her and many others who oppose censorship. Maleki, who left Iran after appearing in the Oscar-nominated film The Seed of the Sacred Fig, said the concert rekindled a sense of resistance and hope among Iranian artists.
