Iran's Parastoo Ahmadi performs 'imaginary concert' without hijab, faces persecution
What's the story
Iranian singer and composer Parastoo Ahmadi is facing legal action from the country's judiciary after her "imaginary" concert went viral.
The performance, Caravansara Concert, was streamed live on Ahmadi's YouTube channel on Wednesday evening.
She performed in a traditional Iranian venue without following the mandatory conservative dress code for women.
By Thursday morning, the judiciary had filed a case against Ahmadi and her production team for hosting an "illegal concert."
Charges unclear
Ahmadi's concert violated 'legal and cultural standards': Judiciary
The judiciary's news agency, Mizan, said the concert "did not comply with the country's legal and cultural standards."
However, the exact charges against Ahmadi and her team are not known.
It was later revealed that legal action was taken against "a group led by a female singer" who performed "music without observing legal and religious standards."
This case highlights the Islamic Republic's restrictions on women, including bans on solo singing by women and public display of hair or body parts.
Public reaction
Ahmadi's performance hailed as 'bold and courageous'
Despite the legal controversy, Ahmadi's performance has been praised by many on social media as a bold act of defiance against Iran's restrictions on women.
Her concert video currently has over eight lakh views on YouTube, while a teaser shared on Instagram was viewed nearly two million times.
Many Iranians hailed Ahmadi for her "bold and courageous" stance, with some women's rights activists seeing the concert as an extension of the ongoing resistance movement against the regime.
Ahmadi's message
'Singing for the land I love with all my heart'
In a note with her YouTube video, Ahmadi described herself as "a girl who wants to sing for the people she loves." She wrote, "A right that I could not refuse. Singing for the land I love with all my heart."
She also asked viewers to "listen to my voice in this imaginary concert and dream of a free and beautiful nation."
At the beginning of her performance, she addressed an imaginary audience as though they were there in person.
Ongoing crackdown
Iran's history of targeting artists and singers
The Islamic Republic has a history of filing cases against artists and singers, accusing them of various charges, including propaganda against the regime.
This incident comes ahead of a new law, expected to be enacted on Friday, which rights groups warn will increase penalties for women violating the dress code.
The case against Ahmadi is part of this ongoing crackdown on artists and performers challenging the conservative norms imposed by the Iranian government.