Parastoo Ahmadi Released on Bail after her Arrest
A screenshot from the video of Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi during the concert she gave on December 11, without an audience, on YouTube. © Parastoo Ahmadi's official YouTube page

Parastoo Ahmadi, an Iranian singer imprisoned for performing an online concert without a veil, was released on bail on December 23 by a Tehran court. After two weeks of detention, she paid a bail of approximately $38,500, as did the members of her band.

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi was released on bail on December 23 by a Tehran court, two weeks after her arrest for performing an online concert without wearing the mandatory veil for women in Iran. According to local media, the young artist appeared at the 38th district court in Tehran with her lawyers. The charges against her were detailed, and she was released after paying a bail of approximately $38,500.

The members of her band, the musicians who had accompanied her during this performance, were also released on a bail of approximately $25,500 each. The controversial concert, which was broadcast on YouTube on December 11, was recorded in the courtyard of an Iranian caravanserai. Parastoo Ahmadi appeared in a long black dress, without a veil, with her shoulders uncovered, alongside four male musicians. The concert was filmed without an audience, but it was enough for the authorities to open an investigation.

Act of Resistance

The Mizan judicial news agency announced that legal proceedings had been initiated against the singer and her team for violating the strict laws governing women's dress code in Iran. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, women have been required to wear the veil in public and are forbidden from singing solo in public. However, Parastoo Ahmadi, who gained popularity by sharing her politically charged songs on Instagram, has managed to reach a wide audience. In 2022 and 2023, she supported the mass protests that shook the country by posting ballads dedicated to the struggle for freedom and women's rights.

“I am Parastoo, the girl who cannot remain silent and refuses to stop singing for the country she loves,” Ahmadi wrote in the video description. She even added, “Listen to my voice in this imaginary concert and dream of a free and beautiful nation.” Her words, full of hope and defiance, resonated as a challenge against an oppressive Iranian regime. In contrast, several activists praised this "extraordinary act of courage," including the exiled dissident Masih Alinejad, who saw this “historic concert” as a true weapon against tyranny.

"Shameful" Legislation

The protest movement in Iran, which began in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, continues to intensify. This concert by Parastoo Ahmadi is seen as another challenge to a regime that persecutes women daring to claim their rights. A new law on the promotion of chastity and the veil could soon come into effect, tightening penalties for those who disobey the dress code, with punishments that could include the death penalty.

Amnesty International strongly condemned this legislation, calling it "shameful" and highlighting how it intensifies the persecution of women and girls who dare to fight for their rights. Despite the repression, Parastoo Ahmadi, like many other Iranian women, continues to defy the ban to claim her freedom and her right to expression.

With AFP

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