Iranian singer given 74 lashings over protest anthem supporting hijab removal
Iranian singer Mehdi Yarrahi has faced 74 lashings following the release of a song which supported women removing their hijabs across Iran.
Zahra Minoui, the lawyer working on behalf of Yarrahi, confirmed on social media on March 5th that his client had faced his punishment, stating the 74 lashings had been “fully and completely implemented”.
Yarrahi was first arrested in 2023 following the release of ‘Roosarito’ which translates to ‘Your Headscarf’ in Farsi. Notable lyrics in the track include, “Take off your scarf, the sun is sinking. Take off your scarf, let your hair flow.”
The Tehran Revolutionary Court initially sentenced Yarrahi to two years and eight months in prison, as well as 74 floggings. However, this sentence was eventually reduced to one year; however, he still faced lashings and a fine.
Significantly, a month after Yarrahi was arrested in August 2023, Iran was awash with protests to mark the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death. She died in police custody following an arrest due to allegedly not wearing her headscarf correctly.
In January, Iranian pop artist Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, better known by his stage name Tataloo, has been found guilty of blasphemy after reportedly insulting the prophet Muhammed. For that offence, the musician has been sentenced to death, according to reports from various state-owned publications in Iran.
Upon moving back to Iran in 2023 from Turkey, the musician was immediately placed in detention, where he has remained since. Initially, he was placed in detention for a variety of crimes, including the promotion of “prostitution”, publishing “obscene content”, as well as disseminating “propaganda” against the Iranian state. Prosecutors also argued that Tataloo’s music is blasphemous, a serious crime in Iran.
At the Oscars last weekend, Iranian co-directors Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani won an Academy Award for their short film In the Shadow of the Cypress. During their speech, they highlighted Iran’s plight, stating, “Also, just the fact that we managed to make this film under the extraordinary circumstances of our country is a miracle. Yes, if we persevere and remain faithful, miracles do happen.”
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