Iranian singer Mehdi Yarrahi receives 74 lashes, lawyer says

Iranian singer Mehdi Yarrahi, known for his protest songs in support of the Women, Life, Freedom movement, received 74 lashes as part of his sentence, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Zahra Minooei confirmed on X that the flogging was carried out at Branch Four of the Moral Security Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran, marking the conclusion of Yarrahi's case. "The flogging sentence has been carried out," she said.

Yarrahi, who was arrested in August 2023 after releasing a protest song titled Rousarieto (Take Off Your Headscarf), had previously been sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court to two years and eight months in prison, a cash fine, and 74 lashes.

He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, with one year enforceable under Iranian law. He was temporarily freed after posting bail of 150 billion rials (around $170,000) and, according to his lawyer, the prison term was later converted to house arrest with an ankle monitor due to health conditions.

"We wanted to lift the bail, but they said it was conditional on the flogging sentence being carried out," Minooei said.

Before the flogging was carried out, Yarrahi had said that he would not request the cancellation of the lashing sentence.

"I announced in the media that I condemn this sentence, but I am ready for its execution," he said in a video posted last week.

The singer gained prominence for his support of the 2022 popular protests, ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody of hijab police.

He was convicted of charges including producing, sending, distributing, and publishing obscene and immoral content, encouraging corruption, and propaganda against the system.

His case highlights the ongoing crackdown on artists and musicians in Iran who express dissent, with other singers like Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin also imprisoned for their support of the uprising. Although both have since been released.