Iranian Singer Sentenced for Patriotic Song Performance

An Iranian artist and her production team have been sentenced to 74 lashes after performing a patriotic song without wearing a hijab in a viral video.

In 2024, Parastu Ahmadi, who is 29, shared a live-streamed rendition of the song “As Koon Javanan Vatan” (From the Blood of the Youth of the Motherland), which quickly gained millions of views. Alongside several musicians, she was briefly detained but later released, as indicated in court documents reviewed by legal sources. The regime harshly punished her for not adhering to hijab regulations.

According to court records, a criminal court in Qom province ordered the artists to receive flogging, along with two-year restrictions on international travel and artistic pursuits for breaching public order by creating and sharing what was described as “vulgar and immoral content” online.

Although the state-operated Judicial News Agency has yet to release the ruling, advocates and attorneys examining the documents noted that the arrests and legal actions against artists openly challenging the regime highlight broader efforts to stifle cultural dissent.

Bahar Gandehari, advocacy director at the Iranian Human Rights Center in the U.S., commented on the severity of the punishment, emphasizing it as a clear indication of Iran’s ongoing human rights abuses.

“A sentence of 74 lashes for Ahmadi merely for singing without a hijab serves as a stark reminder that the human rights situation in Iran remains dire, despite government attempts to project a positive image,” Gandehari stated.

Moin Kazaeli, a human rights attorney advising Iranian activists, claimed the ruling lacks legal justification.

“In Iran’s penal code, singing, performing music, and producing musical works are not criminal acts. Thus, these activities cannot be legitimately classified as ‘creating, distributing, or publishing obscene content,'” he remarked.

Kazaeli further expressed concern, mentioning, “The application of flogging against artists, civil society advocates, and others is more than just a national legal issue. It raises significant questions regarding a state’s international obligations to prevent torture and uphold human dignity. This is why many human rights organizations view flogging not merely as a punishment but as a form of torture and inhumane treatment.”