4 years in prison and 74 lashes: Iran toughens punishments against female singers
An Iranian singer was sentenced to four years in prison after performing before a mixed audience in Tehran, and another singer was sentenced to 74 lashes after singing without a hijab. Human rights organizations warn of increasing pressure on women in the world of music and art in the country.
Iranian singer Hiba Seifizadeh was sentenced in a court of first instance to four years in prison after being convicted of an offense defined as "incitement to corruption and prostitution." The verdict was handed down following a performance she held in February 2025 at the "Roubrou" cultural complex in Tehran. Seifizadeh was arrested during the performance by security forces while she was singing traditional Iranian music to the lyrics of the renowned Persian poet Saadi.
According to reports, the performance was held before a mixed audience. She was later released on bail, as reported by the French news network France 24.
After learning of the sentence, Seifizadeh posted a video on Instagram in which she appealed the decision. She asked to know what behavior of hers constituted, according to the court's claim, "incitement to corruption and prostitution," and said in French:
"Chanter, c'est ma vie" ("To sing is my life").
Earlier in June 2025, singer Parastoo Ahmadi was sentenced to 74 lashes following a performance without a hijab. The performance was broadcast live on her YouTube channel in December 2024 and gained wide distribution online. According to The Guardian, Ahmadi and eight of her production staff were also sentenced to lashes, and they were banned from engaging in artistic activities and leaving Iran for two years. The court attributed to the group the production and distribution of "vulgar and immoral content." Ahmadi's performance became a symbol of cultural resistance for many in Iran.
The law does not forbid — but allows punishment
Iranian law does not explicitly forbid women from singing, but authorities can prosecute female singers for offenses related to clothing, the hijab, or "incitement to corruption and prostitution." In practice, women who perform as soloists before a mixed audience are exposed to legal proceedings, where the method of enforcement may vary depending on the place and circumstances.
Restrictions on women's performances continue against the backdrop of the social change recorded in Iran since the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, which began in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. Although many women are seen today without a hijab in the public sphere, the official laws and sanctions have not been abolished.
The recent cases join a long series of proceedings against Iranian female singers. In 2016, a case was opened in Tehran against more than 50 female singers and their male colleagues. In 2019, six female singers and eight producers were sentenced to a year in prison for the production and distribution of music defined as "vulgar." One of the singers included in that case was Paravez Parvardin, who chose not to return to Iran after learning that her conviction had been upheld. Other cases included singer Negar Moazzam, who was sentenced in 2019 to a year in prison after singing before tourists in the village of Abyaneh.
