Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmady performs without hijab in YouTube concert, arrested

Iranian authorities have arrested 27-year-old singer Parastoo Ahmady after she performed a virtual concert on YouTube without wearing a hijab. Parastoo Ahmady was taken into custody in Sari City, the capital of Mazandaran province, just days after her performance,

The video posted by Parastoo Ahmady has garnered over 1.4 million views on YouTube.

In the YouTube concert, Parastoo Ahmady was seen donning a long black sleeveless dress. She was accompanied by four male musician.

Following the concert, the Iranian judiciary filed a case against Parastoo Ahmady, leading to her arrest on Saturday.

Parastoo Ahmady's lawyer, Milad Panahipour, expressed uncertainty about the charges and the circumstances surrounding her detention.

Parastoo Ahmady had posted her concert on YouTube three days ago, saying: “I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love. This is a right I could not ignore; singing for the land I love passionately.”

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

The online concert has been viewed more than 1.4 million times.

Where is Parastoo Ahmady now?

Panahipour told The Associated Press: “Unfortunately, we do not know the charges against Ms. Ahmady, who arrested her, or her place of detention, but we will follow up on the matter through legal authorities.”

He also said two musicians in Ahmady's band — Soheil Faghih Nasiri and Ehsan Beiraghdar — were arrested in Tehran on Saturday.

What's behind Iran's 'woman, life, freedom' protests?

Following the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, women were banned at first from singing altogether, then from singing or dancing solo before mixed-gender audiences.

Iranian female vocalists could perform for male audiences only as a part of a chorus. But they are allowed to sing in a hall for female-only audiences.

Also based on Iran's theocratic draconian laws, women are not allowed to appear without a hijab in public.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, women's rights have been a contentious issue in the country.

In 2022, Iran saw a wave of mass protests following the custodial death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Jina Mahsa Amini.

The government brutally clamped down on the demonstrations and targeted leading activists.

Many Iranian women say they are against the strict dress code, particularly the mandatory headscarf.

Politics of Hijab

In Iran, the hijab — and the all-encompassing black chador worn by some — has long been a political symbol as well, particularly after becoming mandatory in the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

For observant Muslim women, the head covering is a sign of piety before God and modesty in front of men outside their families.