An Iranian court this week sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi to 74 lashes after she appeared without a hijab in a YouTube video. The ruling came as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States, a deal that the article says gives the regime international legitimacy while Tehran continues to crack down on its citizens.
The video was filmed in 2024 and uploaded to YouTube, where it has drawn 2.9 million views over the past two years. In the clip, Ahmadi performs the well-known Iranian song “From the Blood of the Young” in an empty theater, accompanied by eight musicians and crew members.
The court found her guilty of “violating public modesty” because she performed without a hijab. All of the other participants in the production were also punished, receiving lashes, a ban on leaving the country, and a two-year prohibition on any “artistic activity.” The report says the harsh sentence highlights how the Iranian authorities are tightening repression at a time when sanctions relief and other international concessions are being discussed under the agreement with the United States.
