Iranian artist Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly received a sentence of 74 lashes after she performed without a hijab during a livestreamed concert that challenged the country’s strict dress code rules.

A criminal court in Qom province convicted Ahmadi, 29, and eight members of her production crew. The court said they produced and distributed content it considered “vulgar and immoral” through online platforms.

The court also imposed a two-year travel ban on the artistes. It barred them from taking part in any creative work during that period.

Concert That Sparked Controversy

Ahmadi staged the performance in December 2024. During the concert, she sang “Az Khoone Javaneane Vatan,” a patriotic ballad, without wearing the legally required headscarf.

She streamed the performance on her YouTube channel. The broadcast attracted millions of views before authorities stepped in.

According to The Guardian UK, human rights groups and legal experts reviewed court documents and confirmed the sentences. Iran’s judiciary has yet to publish the ruling officially.

Authorities briefly detained Ahmadi and some band members after the video appeared online. They later released them while legal proceedings continued.

Human Rights Groups React

Bahar Ghandehari, advocacy director at the Centre for Human Rights in Iran, criticised the punishment.

“Ahmadi’s punishment of 74 lashes for merely singing and appearing without a hijab is yet another reminder that human rights conditions in Iran have not changed, despite the Iranian authorities’ wartime propaganda campaign aimed at improving their image,” she said.

Lawyer Questions Legal Basis

Human rights lawyer Moein Khazaeli challenged the legal grounds for the conviction.

“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’,” he said.

He added: “The imposition of a flogging sentence against artists, civil society activists or other citizens is not merely a matter of domestic criminal law. It also raises serious concerns regarding states’ international obligations to prohibit torture and safeguard human dignity.

“For this reason, numerous human rights organisations consider flogging not a legitimate form of punishment, but rather a form of torture and inhuman treatment.”