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Iran Confirms 74 Lashes for Singer After Concert
An Iranian appeals court upheld a sentence of 74 lashes and two-year travel and professional bans against singer Parastoo Ahmadi.
By  Ernesto Iván Vargas Martínez
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Parastoo Ahmadi queda bajo una sentencia definitiva en Irán, Iran Upholds 74-Lashes Sentence for Singer Parastoo Ahmadi Over Concert Without Hijab
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Posted on 09/28/26 at 13:38

  • Iran upholds 74-lashes sentence against singer Parastoo Ahmadi
  • Singer performed without mandatory hijab
  • Two-year travel and professional bans

An Iranian appeals court upheld the sentence against singer Parastoo Ahmadi over an online concert in which she performed without the mandatory hijab.

The sentence includes 74 lashes, a two-year ban on audiovisual and musical activities, and a two-year ban on leaving the country.

The ruling also applies to seven other musicians and people involved in organizing and producing the so-called «Caravanserai Concert.»

The 16th Chamber of the Qom Court of Appeals rejected the defendants’ appeals and upheld the sanctions originally imposed by a criminal court.

Parastoo Ahmadi Faces Final 74-Lashes Sentence in Iran

  • Why it matters: The case has renewed international attention on restrictions affecting Iranian women who sing and perform publicly.
  • The fact: Ahmadi and seven other defendants received 74 lashes, along with two-year travel and professional restrictions.
  • The process: The initial sentence was issued in June and later upheld by the appeals court in Qom Province.
  • What can be done: International organizations and human rights groups can document the case and monitor whether and how the punishment is enforced.

The case began after Parastoo Ahmadi posted a recorded performance in December 2024 from the historic Deir Gachin caravanserai in Qom.

The singer appeared without covering her hair and performed alongside male musicians, while the concert was posted online and circulated widely.

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The lower court found that the production and online distribution of the concert violated public morality and other religious and legal norms.

The defense appealed the ruling, but the appeals court rejected the challenge and upheld the sentence without changes.

The Concert Without Hijab That Triggered the Case

The so-called «Caravanserai Concert» made Ahmadi a prominent figure in debates over restrictions imposed on female performers in Iran.

The case drew particular attention because the performance took place without a live audience, while its online distribution allowed it to reach a much wider public.

The original ruling also imposed two-year professional restrictions and ordered the convictions to be publicized, according to published court documents.

Human rights advocates have criticized the use of corporal punishment and professional restrictions against artists for activities involving cultural expression.

Mandatory Hijab Returns to Center of Debate in Iran

The case comes four years after protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini following her detention by Iran’s morality police in 2022.

Since those protests, many Iranian women have appeared publicly without covering their hair, challenging one of the Islamic Republic’s most visible restrictions on women.

Ahmadi had also posted a rendition of «From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland» during those protests, a song historically associated with periods of political unrest in Iran.

Now, the confirmation of the 74-lash sentence against Parastoo Ahmadi has turned the online concert into another flashpoint in the conflict between state regulation, artistic expression, and women’s rights.

Sources: Infobae, The New York Times.

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