The Criminal Court of Qom Province has sentenced Parastoo Ahmadi and eight musicians and production crew members of the “Caravanserai Concert” to 74 discretionary lashes, a two-year ban on artistic activities, and a two-year travel ban on charges of “outrageous offense to public decency.”
According to a copy of the published verdict, the court cited Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code and Article 743 of the Computer Crimes Law to mandate these penalties, alongside an order to publicize the convictions in public media. This is a preliminary ruling and remains subject to appeal.
In November/December 2024, Parastoo Ahmadi published a video of the “Caravanserai Concert” on social media without complying with mandatory hijab laws, accompanied by a group of male musicians. The performance quickly garnered widespread attention and triggered immediate reactions from judicial bodies. Following the video’s release, the judiciary filed criminal charges against the creators, leading to the temporary detention of several individuals involved in the production.
The text of the indictment describes Parastoo Ahmadi’s attire as “lacking the Sharia-compliant hijab” and “semi-naked.” The judge pointed to her exposed head, neck, hands, and parts of her body, classifying the published content as “obscene images.” The court further emphasized that the ruling was not based solely on the issue of hijab, but that the production, filming, editing, and widespread distribution of the work in cyberspace heavily factored into the criminal designation.
