'Woman's Voice Scared Them': Iranian Singer Sentenced To '74 Lashes' For Performing Without Hijab
'Woman's Voice Scared Them': Iranian Singer Sentenced To '74 Lashes' For Performing Without Hijab Published By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 13:52 IST Iranian singer
'Woman's Voice Scared Them': Iranian Singer Sentenced To '74 Lashes' For Performing Without Hijab Published By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 13:52 IST Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to '74 lashes' after singing in a YouTube concert without wearing a hijab Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi sentenced to 74 lashes for singing without hijab | Image credit: X/@AlinejadMasih Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to ’74 lashes’ after singing in a YouTube concert without wearing a hijab, a traditional headscarf worn by many Muslim women. Along with the members of her band, Ahmadi was punished for a performance livestreamed on her YouTube channel in December 2024, The Guardian reported, citing court documents. Shortly after the concert went online, Ahmadi and several musicians were arrested and later released. A formal case was then filed against the singer and her band members over the publication of the clip, said the report.
A court in Iran’s Qom province ordered ’74 lashes’ for the band, ordering a two-year ban on leaving the country and a two-year curb on participating in artistic activities. According to the Daily Mail, the 29-year-old singer performed a patriotic song titled ‘Az Khoone Javanane Vatan’ (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland), donning a long, black sleeveless dress. “I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people", said Ahmadi, with her performance livestreamed on YouTube. The sentence is a part of a new ‘Hijab and chastity’ bill introduced by the Iranian Parliament in 2025. Under the fresh rules, all women –– including girls as young as 12 –– must wear a hijab or face harsh punishments, according to the Daily Mail. The punishment may include fines, 15-year prison sentence, or even death penalty under the charge of “corruption on earth".
‘Woman’s Voice Scared Them’ The punishment has been widely criticised by human-rights activists and lawyers, who viewed the decision as a reflection of how women’s voices are treated as “threats". Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist, reacted to the report and said: “One day after the U.S. signed a deal with the Islamic Republic، the regime in Iran, handed Parastoo Ahmadi 74 lashes for singing on YouTube." One day after the U.S. signed a deal with the Islamic Republic، the regime in Iran, handed Parastoo Ahmadi 74 lashes for singing on YouTube.They call America the Great Satan. And then they flew to the table and signed a deal with the «Devil«. But a woman’s voice scared them… pic.twitter.com/FMJdKD7EGZ — Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) June 18, 2026 Intensifying attack against the Iranian regime, she added: “They call America the Great Satan. And then they flew to the table and signed a deal with the «Devil«.
The BriefWire