Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her production team don reportedly receive sentence of 74 lashes for performing in concert wey dem livestream for her YouTube channel for 2024.
According to court documents, the criminal court of Qom province sentence the artists to flogging, two-year ban from leaving country and two-year ban from artistic activities. Charges include offending public decency through production and publication of vulgar and immoral content online.
Although official judiciary news agency never publish ruling, rights groups and lawyers wey review documents say the pattern of arrests and legal cases against artists wey publicly defy regime reflect broader effort to deter cultural dissent.
For December 2024, the 29-year-old singer perform patriotic song ‘Az Khoone Javanane Vatan’ (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland) without hijab for livestreamed performance wey go viral. She bin briefly detained along with several musicians after release before dem free dem. Authorities later file formal case over publication of video wey don accumulate millions of views on YouTube.
Bahar Ghandehari, director of advocacy at US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, say ‘Ahmadi punishment of 74 lashes for merely singing and appearing without hijab na another reminder say human rights conditions for Iran never change, despite Iranian authorities wartime propaganda campaign wey aim to improve their image.’ She add say contrast between official imagery and prosecution of artists expose ‘the gap between regime propaganda and reality’.
Moein Khazaeli, human rights lawyer at Dadban, legal counselling centre for Iranian activists, say the sentence lack legal basis. ‘Singing, performing music and producing or disseminating musical works by women no be criminal offence under Iranian criminal law. Consequently, such activities cannot reasonably be construed as production, distribution or publication of obscene content,’ he tok. ‘The imposition of flogging sentence against artists, civil society activists or other citizens no be only matter of domestic criminal law. E also raise serious concerns regarding states international obligations to prohibit torture and safeguard human dignity. For this reason, numerous human rights organisations consider flogging no be legitimate form of punishment, but rather form of torture and inhuman treatment.’
For Iranian artists, the ruling, though no unexpected, don deepen fears of escalating cultural repression. Iranian-British actor Nazanin Boniadi say ‘The sentencing of singer Parastoo Ahmadi to flogging for simple act of singing publicly without hijab na stark reminder say, despite talk for Washington of new regime for Iran, Islamic republic machinery of repression remain unchanged. Accommodating regime wey flog women for their voices and kill citizens for demanding their rights only embolden am to continue down its tyrannical path.’
Iranian actor Setareh Maleki, wey bin force to go exile after starring for Mohammad Rasoulof Oscar-nominated film ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’, say the performance get powerful emotive impact on her. She tell Guardian: ‘When I watch video of Parastoo Ahmadi concert, e reignite spirit of resistance for me. For days, I keep watching videos over and over again, and I feel immensely proud of Parastoo. Knowing all consequences she go face, she still refuse to give up her right, as woman, to live, to sing and to be heard. Iranian women never stop fighting against tyranny, not even for moment, and that na truly remarkable.’ She add: ‘For Iranian artist wey refuse to comply with censorship inside Iran, the daily routine na form of resistance. We don come long way but there still long road ahead. I dey grateful say every day another beloved artist remind us of hope again and become guiding light.’
