The investigation into the case of Parastoo Ahmadi, the 27-year-old singer whose concert defied Iran’s strict laws, has been expanded to include its organizers, the judiciary spokesman said Tuesday.
Asghar Jahangir announced that a case was initially opened in a Tehran court at the instruction of the city’s prosecutor. However, after determining that the alleged offense occurred in Qom province, the case was transferred to the Qom judiciary for further proceedings.
Earlier this month, singer Parastoo Ahmadi challenged Iran's strict dress codes and ban on female solo concerts by performing with her band in an undisclosed caravanserai.
The concert, which she called "imagined," featured Ahmadi with bare shoulders, defying norms that prohibit women from performing solo or appearing in public without a hijab.
The caravanserai where the concert took place has been sealed, according to Jahangir. Investigators are now also focusing on identifying the crew involved behind the scenes, he added.
In mid-December, the judiciary issued a statement saying that the concert was held without legal authorization and adherence to Sharia principles, and that appropriate action will be taken against the singer and production team.
Last week, Ahmadi appeared at Tehran’s prosecutor’s office for an arraignment session where she was formally handed charges against her for performing an online concert without a hijab, violating Iran’s dress mandates, Emtedad news website reported.
She was released on a 30-billion-rials (nearly $38,000) bail. Members of her band, who were also charged, were released on a 20-billion-rials (approximately $25,000) bail each.
Ahmadi was first arrested in Mazandaran, northern Iran, three days after she published a video of her performance on YouTube which garnered over 1.5 million views at the time.
No ban on Taraneh Alidoosti
When asked about the case of actress Taraneh Alidoosti, known for speaking out against the mandatory hijab and is reported to have been given a travel ban, the Judiciary spokesperson said, "She is not banned from flying.”
Last week, filmmaker Mina Akbari reported on X that Alidoosti was planning to travel to Qeshm Island in southern Iran with her daughter when she discovered her national ID code had been blocked for all flights.
Jahangir added that he had checked with the National Organization for Civil Registration, whose head confirmed Alidoosti's national ID card was not blocked. He stated that anyone with such a claim should file a complaint, which would be investigated.
"We do not have a crime called a flight ban," Jahangir noted, although multiple celebrities have been temporarily barred from traveling after they spoke out against the government in recent years, including sports personalities Ali Karimi, Ali Daei, and Farshid Asadian.
Alidoosti, a well-known figure in Iranian cinema and theater, was arrested in November 2022 after publicly protesting the execution of Mohsen Shekari, a young man arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom protests.
She was released on bail after approximately one month in detention. Upon her release from Evin Prison, she appeared without a headscarf, openly defying Iran's compulsory hijab laws.
Last week, images of Alidoosti without a headscarf backstage at a Tehran theater also circulated widely on social media, further demonstrating her continued defiance.
Judiciary unaware of Italian journalist’s arrest
In spite of the global furore and ensuing diplomatic crisis, the Judiciary spokesman said he was unaware of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala's arrest in Tehran, suggesting she has not been formally charged and was detained by an agency outside the judiciary's purview.
On Monday, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance confirmed Sala's detention, citing alleged legal violations but withholding specifics.
"Cecilia Sala, an Italian citizen, traveled to Iran on December 13, 2024, with a journalist visa and was arrested on December 19, 2024, on charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Her case is currently under investigation," a statement by the ministry said.