Iranian singer Anita Papist sentenced to 74 lashes for singing without head covering

Tehran’s Branch 1088 of the Second Criminal Court at the Ershad Judicial Complex sentenced singer Anita Papist to 74 lashes, labeling her performance without a head covering as "offending public decency." The court also confiscated her passport and blocked her mobile phone. Iranian rights groups, including Dadbaan, argue the punishment breaches international obligations on freedom of expression, cultural activity, and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Papist, who shares English and Persian videos online, said the verdict follows a broader crackdown on female singers, with authorities seizing artists’ social‑media accounts and issuing legal notices without consent. She thanked supporters and posted an illustration depicting a tape‑covered mouth to protest the injustice.