Singer in Iran arrested after performing on YouTube without a hijab
A woman was arrested in Iran after she posted a video of herself singing without a hijab on YouTube, even though the Iranian parliament passed a new, stricter law on women's modesty that rights groups have criticized.
A woman was arrested in Iran after she posted a video of herself singing without a hijab on YouTube, even though the Iranian parliament passed a new, stricter law on women's modesty that rights groups have criticized.
Parastoo Ahmadi posted a 27-minute video of her concert performance Wednesday, in which she sang in a sleeveless dress with her hair down accompanied by four male musicians. In the caption, she described it as an "imaginary concert" and invited the audience to "imagine this beautiful homeland" in Iran.
The performance was recorded in a caravanserai, the name for the roadside inns historically built along the Silk Road to provide merchants and travelers with places to rest as they trekked the ancient trade route spanning North Africa to Central Asia. Ahmadi wrote that it was "where history and our myths intertwine."
"I am Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love," the caption said. "This is a right I could not ignore; singing for the land I love passionately."
Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, told The Associated Press that Ahmadi was arrested Saturday over the performance. He said he was unaware of the charges, the arresting agency or the location of her detention.
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