Amnesty International has issued an urgent demand for Iranian authorities to halt the planned flogging of singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight accompanying musicians. The group faces 74 lashes each following a 2024 livestreamed performance that violated the country’s strict dress codes and prohibitions against women singing in public.
The Bottom Line
- Amnesty International is calling for an immediate stay of execution for the sentences, which it defines as state-sanctioned torture.
- The musicians were convicted after a 2024 YouTube concert in Qom, where Ahmadi performed without a hijab and wore red lipstick.
- The sentencing comes amid a broader, intensifying crackdown on artistic expression and women’s rights in the Islamic Republic.
The Performance That Triggered the Sentence
In December 2024, Parastoo Ahmadi broadcast a concert on her personal YouTube channel that has since garnered over three million views. The performance was staged in the grounds of a traditional caravanserai, featuring a dimly-lit set adorned only with a Persian carpet. Ahmadi, dressed in a long gown, performed mournful songs backed by a four-piece band consisting of a pianist, drummer, guitarist, and bassist. All musicians were dressed in black, but it was Ahmadi’s choice to forgo the mandatory hijab and wear deep red lipstick that drew the attention of the authorities.
Legal Repercussions in Qom Province
The judicial fallout was swift and severe. Following the concert, the group was sentenced to 74 lashes each. Amnesty International has condemned the move, describing the flogging as a violation of the absolute prohibition against torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment.
| Metric | Status/Data |
|---|---|
| Primary Offense | Unsanctioned public singing; lack of hijab |
| Sentence | 74 lashes per person |
| YouTube Viewership | 3 million+ (Ahmadi’s channel) |
| Status of Appeal | Upheld in Qom Province |
The Broader Cultural Assault on Expression
This case is not an isolated incident but a high-profile flashpoint in the ongoing friction between the Iranian government and its creative class. The current legal pressure follows a turbulent period of national unrest that peaked in January, prior to the escalation of regional conflicts involving the United States and Israel. The death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 remains the foundational catalyst for the current wave of civil disobedience, which has seen increasing numbers of Iranian women appearing in public without the hijab despite the risk of severe state reprisal. Amnesty International has explicitly linked the fate of Ahmadi and her band to this wider systemic assault, calling for the total abolition of compulsory veiling and the decriminalization of freedom of expression.
Industry Implications and Global Observation
The situation serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by digital creators operating under restrictive regimes. For performers in Iran, the act of uploading to a global platform like YouTube—which has acted as a digital stage for millions—is now effectively a criminal act of dissent. As of late Tuesday night, the international community remains focused on whether the threat of global scrutiny will force a stay of the physical punishment, or if the court in Qom will proceed with the sentencing as scheduled.
