On Thursday, the news emerged: Parastoo Ahmadi, a 29-year-old Iranian singer, alongside eight members of her production team, had been sentenced to 74 lashes by the Qom Provincial Criminal Court in Iran.
Her crime? Not violence, not incitement—but singing. In December 2024, Parastoo streamed a virtual concert on her YouTube channel in which she performed without a hijab. For that act, she and her team will be punished not only with flogging but with a two-year ban on leaving Iran or engaging in artistic activities. The charge: publishing “vulgar and immoral content” online.
Yes, this is the 21st century. The ink on the deal between the United States and Iran isn’t even dry before the Islamic Republic shows its true face. This is a regime that calls America the Great Satan, yet a woman’s voice scared them more than any superpower ever could.
