A court in Iran sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi and seven other artists to 74 lashes each, a two-year exit ban, and a two-year ban on artistic activity, according to Iranian news reports. The group was convicted of producing and publishing 'vulgar and immoral content' after Ahmadi performed without a hijab in a concert livestreamed in defiance of restrictions on women performers.
An Iranian criminal court sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi and seven other artists to 74 lashes, a two-year ban on artistic activities, and a two-year exit ban, Iranian news reports said Sunday. The sentence follows a concert Ahmadi livestreamed in which she performed without a hijab on a minimalist stage, defying Iran's strict restrictions on women performers. The performance was viewed nearly 3 million times on YouTube. Authorities accused the group of producing and publishing 'vulgar and immoral content' online.
This update adjusts the number of co-defendants: earlier Thursday, June 18, reports cited by Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) initially said eight crew members were also sentenced alongside Ahmadi. By the same evening, our own reporting (published at 18:24 Jerusalem) stated eight crew members as well. The current Sunday report instead mentions seven other artists, suggesting a potential change in the count of those convicted.
The case echoes the ongoing crackdown on women's rights and artistic freedom in Iran that intensified after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in custody and the subsequent nationwide protests. As The Zioneer previously reported (June 18), the court in Qom Province initially convicted Ahmadi and eight crew members—the current report mentions seven other artists alongside Ahmadi, suggesting a possible change in the number of defendants. The broader context includes continued repression of dissent and detentions, as documented in prior background reporting on protests and charges against activists.
No official confirmation from Iranian state media has been published at this hour, and the full court ruling has not been released.
4 developments
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