DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian authorities have arrested a female singer who performed a virtual concert on YouTube, a lawyer said.
Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, said Parastoo Ahmady, 27, was arrested in Sari City, capital of the northern province of Mazandaran, on Saturday.
On Thursday, the judiciary had filed a case regarding Ahmady’s concert performance, in which she performed wearing a long black sleeveless and collarless dress, but no hijab.
Also based on Iranian and Islamic law, women are not allowed to appear without a hijab in front of men who are not related.
There were protests across Iran in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest by the country’s morality police over allegedly not wearing her hijab.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A female singer who gave a YouTube virtual concert has been arrested by Iranian authorities, according to her attorney.
Iranian attorney Milad Panahipour said that 27-year-old Parastoo Ahmady was taken into custody on Saturday in Sari City, the provincial capital of Mazandaran in the north.
Regarding Ahmady’s concert performance, the judiciary filed a case on Thursday. She wore a long black dress without sleeves and a collar, but she did not wear a hijab. Her band consisted of four male performers.
The day before, Ahmady had uploaded a video of her performance to YouTube with the caption, “I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love.”. I couldn’t deny this right—passionately singing for the land I love. “”.
Over 1.4 million people have watched the online concert.
“Unfortunately, we do not know the charges against Ms. Ahmady, who arrested her, or her place of detention: but we will follow up through legal authorities,” Panahipour told The Associated Press. “.”.
Additionally, he reported that Soheil Faghih Nasiri and Ehsan Beiraghdar, two members of Ahmady’s band, were taken into custody in Tehran on Saturday.
Women were first prohibited from singing in general and then from performing or dancing alone in front of mixed-sex audiences in Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Only as members of a chorus could female vocalists perform for male audiences. However, they can perform for a female-only audience in a hall.
Iranian and Islamic law also forbids women from showing up in public without a hijab in front of unrelated men.
In Iran, the hijab, and some people’s all-encompassing black chador, has long been a political symbol. This is especially true after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when it became mandatory. Head coverings are seen by devout Muslim women as a symbol of modesty in front of men outside of their families and piety before God.
When Mahsa Amini, 22, died in 2022 after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab, there were protests all over the country. In recent weeks, the authorities’ stance has shifted, even though they were initially reluctant to strictly enforce the Islamic dress code—possibly to prevent even more widespread protests and acts of defiance.
