In a shocking move highlighting the ongoing struggle for women's rights in Iran, popular musician Mehdi Yarrahi was recently punished with 74 lashes by the Iranian authorities. The 43-year-old artist had previously released a song celebrating women challenging the country's mandatory hijab laws. His punishment stems from a larger crackdown on dissent as the government seeks to stifle voices amid ongoing protests.
Yarrahi's attorney reported on social media that the musician underwent the lashes on Wednesday, a ruling executed by the Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. This punishment effectively concludes a long-standing criminal case against him. In response, Yarrahi expressed resilience, stating on his X account, “He who is not willing to pay the price for freedom does not deserve freedom.”
As news of his flogging surfaced, it drew outrage from the Iranian artistic community. Many noted the stark contrast between the recognition of two Iranian directors who won an Oscar for an animated short and the abusive treatment artists endure at home. Yarrahi’s arrest was part of a larger wave of detentions aimed at quelling protests that erupted in 2022 after the death of a young woman accused of violating hijab laws.
