Iranian singer arrested for performing concert without hijab

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi was arrested in Mazandaran province after performing a live YouTube concert without wearing a hijab, defying Iran's strict morality laws for women. Two musicians accompanying her, Ehsan Birghidar and Sohail Faqih Nasiri, were also detained. Ahmadi stated that her performance was an expression of love for her homeland and a stand for her right to sing—a freedom often denied to women in Iran. Despite censorship, the concert attracted 74,000 views within 12 hours. Following the performance, security agents raided her home, and she was summoned for questioning. Authorities have announced her immediate trial. This incident highlights the ongoing defiance against Iran's restrictive gender laws, with protests gaining momentum since the 2022 "Women, Life, Freedom" movement sparked by Mahsa Amini's death.