Iran court upholds lashes sentence for singer who performed without hijab

Image source, youtube.com/@ParastooAhmadii Image caption, Parastoo Ahmadi's performance was livestreamed on her YouTube channel in December 2024

An appeals court in Iran has confirmed a sentence of 74 lashes handed to a prominent singer who performed without the mandatory hijab, lawyers say.

Parastoo Ahmadi sang while wearing a sleeveless dress during a concert livestreamed on her YouTube channel in December 2024 , external . Iran's laws ban public performances by women and require them to wear headscarves and modest clothing.

Iran's judiciary launched proceedings against the 29-year-old after the video went viral, gaining millions of views, saying the performance was "in violation of the country's legal and cultural regulations".

In June, a criminal court in Qom reportedly found Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team guilty of charges including "offending public decency" through the publication of "obscene and indecent material".