Iranian vocalist Anita Papist given 74 lashes for offending public decency through singing

Tehran-based vocalist Anita Papist received a sentence of 74 lashes for offending public decency from Branch 1088 of the Second Criminal Court at Tehran's Ershad Judicial Complex, as announced by the artist and Iranian rights organizations over the weekend.

Papist, who shares online videos of herself singing in English and Persian without a head covering, verified that her passport was taken and her mobile phone restricted, measures that the Iranian legal advocacy group Dadbaan described as imposed solely for sharing her creative work on social platforms.

Dadbaan emphasized that singing and creating music do not constitute crimes themselves and stated that the ruling against Papist conflicts with Iran's international commitments regarding freedom of expression, cultural activities, and the ban on cruel or degrading punishment.

Iran intensifies actions against female vocalists

The group noted that in recent months Iran has stepped up measures against female vocalists, including unauthorized access to artists' personal social media accounts and posting legal notices without permission.

Papist expressed gratitude to supporters for amplifying her message and shared an image created by a follower showing tape over her mouth with the text every woman who creates with her art and deserves respect. Let us stand with artists, not against them. No injustice.

Obscene and immoral content claims

Papist stated on her Instagram story that she has no interest in seeking asylum abroad and made her sentence public to support Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi. Ahmadi and eight members of her production team were ordered last month to receive 74 lashes each by the Qom Provincial Criminal Court for allegations of offending public decency through production and publication of obscene and immoral content on digital platforms.

The obscene and immoral content referred to a video of Ahmadi performing a nationalist song without a hijab.

The court charged them under Articles 638 of the Islamic Penal Code and 743 of the Computer Crimes Law, according to BBC Persian.

Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code addresses any open religious taboo or acts offending public decency such as appearing without a hijab. Article 743 covers promotion or encouragement of corruption, prostitution, or acts seen as offensive to public morality through digital networks.

Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad responded to Papist's sentence by noting that in the middle of a conflict the Islamic Republic still finds time to flog this young woman for music. Anita Papist a young Iranian singer has been sentenced to 74 lashes. Her crime? Singing and uploading her video on Instagram. The regime confiscated her passport. Blocked her phone. Now they want to silence her voice. This is called gender apartheid. A total apartheid against women.