Iranian famous singer Mehdi Yarrahi was whipped 74 times for singing a song in protest against women's dress codes. This was reported by The Guardian.
Yarrahi was initially sentenced to prison for illegal activities in 2024 after releasing a protest song titled "Your Hijab" in September 2023. He also wrote songs during the uprising and has over 1 million followers on Instagram.
Later, Yarrahi's one-year prison sentence was converted to house arrest through an electronic bracelet, and this monitoring ended in December, allowing him to be free. However, the return of the bail of 15 billion tomans (currency unit) paid by a third party was conditional on the 74 lashes, which were carried out this week.
"I am ready to receive the punishment of 74 lashes, and although I condemn this inhumane torture, I do not ask for it to be canceled," Yarrahi said at the time.
Reports of flogging reminiscent of the Middle Ages have sparked widespread protests on Iranian social media.
"The execution of Mehdi Yarrahi's flogging sentence is revenge for supporting Iranian women. The whip on his body is a lash given to the proud women of Iran and the powerful spirit of the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement," said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nargis Mohammadi.
Prominent human rights activist Masih Alinejad stated: "Every lash they strike will cause more women to remove their hijabs. Voices will rise again. Nothing can stop this revolution. This regime is like a virus, spreading rapidly," she expressed.
In 2024, at least 131 people were sentenced to 9,957 lashes by Iranian courts, according to the Iran Human Rights Activists News Agency, a non-governmental organization.
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