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Appeals court upholds sentence without a hearing

The 74-lash sentence handed down to singer Parastoo Ahmadi over a concert performed without a headscarf in Iran has been upheld on appeal, according to her lawyers. The attorneys said the higher court rejected the challenge on Friday without holding a hearing.

Ahmadi, 29, performed in December 2024 in a concert posted to her YouTube channel, appearing on stage in a sleeveless outfit. In Iran, women are barred from performing in public, and they are also required to wear a headscarf and clothing that conceals the shape of their bodies.

After the footage was viewed millions of times, Iran’s judiciary launched proceedings, saying the performance violated the country’s legal and cultural rules. Ahmadi’s lawyers argued the concert should not have been treated as a crime and said the trial court had chosen one of the harshest possible penalties despite lighter sanctions being available.

What penalties were listed in the case file?

According to reports, a criminal court in Qom found eight people, including Ahmadi, members of her group and production team, guilty in June. The case included charges such as violating public morals by publishing obscene and inappropriate content.

  • Ahmadi was sentenced to 74 lashes.
  • The defendants were banned from audiovisual activities for two years and barred from leaving the country.

The lack of a hearing during the appeal was another point of criticism from the defense. The lawyers said the higher court closed the case without hearing oral arguments.

Reaction to the ruling and the wider debate in Iran

The first sentence triggered widespread reaction on social media. Exiled artist Googoosh and musician Hossein Alizadeh posted messages of solidarity against the ruling, while human rights defenders said flogging is inhumane. Amnesty International also said such punishments are incompatible with the prohibition on torture and ill-treatment.

Hijab rules and earlier cases

Under laws based on the authorities’ interpretation of sharia in Iran, women and girls over puberty must cover their hair with a headscarf and wear long, loose clothing. In January 2024, Iranian Kurdish activist Roya Heshmati was flogged 74 times for posting a photo of herself without a headscarf on social media.

Hijab rules have become even more contentious since the mass protests that followed the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Since then, many women have continued to appear in public without covering their hair, while the authorities have responded with arrests, warnings, business closures and similar measures.

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