Iran: Singer arrested for performing without hijab

A female singer has been arrested by authorities in Iran for not wearing a hijab while performing in a virtual concert on YouTube, a lawyer said.

The singer, Parastoo Ahmady, has been detained for defying the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women.

A case was filed against the 27-year-old singer on Thursday over her concert performance wherein she performed wearing a long black sleeveless dress without a hijab.

While posting the video on YouTube, Ahmady said: "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."

Her concert has garnered over 1.4 million views online while she has been praised by people online for her courage.

Where is Parastoo Ahmady now?

Her lawyer, Milad Panahipour, said on Saturday that she was arrested in the north of the country, while two musicians from her band were arrested at their music studio in Tehran.

"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," Panahipour told the news agency The Associated Press.

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.