74 Lashes Sentence for Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Carried Out in Tehran

HRANA News Agency – Today, March 5, 2025, the sentence of 74 lashes for singer and composer Mehdi Yarrahi was carried out at Tehran’s Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office.

His lawyer, Zahra Minooie, stated:
“Today, on March 5, 2025, the final part of the rulings issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, consisting of 74 lashes, was fully executed at Branch 4 of the Sentence Enforcement Office of the Morality Security Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran. As a result, Mr. Mehdi Yarrahi’s case has been closed.”

In December 2024, Yarrahi’s one-year prison sentence, which had been converted to electronic ankle monitoring, ended, leading to his release. However, the return of his 15 billion toman bail was contingent on the execution of his flogging sentence.

On September 26, 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Yarrahi to two years and eight months in prison and 74 lashes on charges of:

. Propaganda against the regime
. Encouraging corruption and depravity
. Producing and distributing immoral content
. Inciting and encouraging acts against public morality through online platforms

The Tehran Court of Appeals later upheld the verdict. Eventually, on February 20, 2024, his sentence was carried out under movement restrictions via electronic ankle monitoring.

Mehdi Yarrahi was initially arrested on August 28, 2023, following the release of his song “Roo Sarito” (Your Headscarf) by order of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office. He was later released on bail from Evin Prison in October of that year.

Notably, due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests, the Tehran Public Prosecutor’s Office had previously declared him “prohibited from financial transactions.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) strictly prohibits inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation. However, in 2024, HRANA documented at least three cases where flogging sentences were carried out, totaling 106 lashes. Additionally, at least 131 individuals were sentenced to a combined 9,957 lashes by the Iranian judiciary.

Furthermore, four individuals had their hand amputation sentences executed, while four others were sentenced to amputation.
For detailed statistics and further insights, read HRANA’s 2024 Annual Report

Iranian Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Receives Prison Sentence and Lashes

The Tehran Revolutionary Court has issued a verdict against singer and musician Mehdi Yarrahi, sentencing him to two years and eight months of imprisonment along with 74 lashes.

Confirming the sentence, Yarrahi’s lawyer, Zahra Minooie, stated, “If the decision is upheld on appeal, the most severe penalty of one year will become enforceable.”

During the court session held on October 16, 2023, Yarrahi faced charges of “propaganda against the regime, inciting people to depravity, producing music content against public modesty, and promoting offenses against chastity on the Internet.”

Yarrahi was initially arrested on August 28, 2023, by the order of the Tehran prosecutor, following the release of a song titled “Your Headscarf.” He secured his release on bail from Evin Prison in October.

Previously, Yarrahi had been prohibited from engaging in legal transactions by the prosecutor’s order due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests.

singer-songwriter Mehdi Yarrahi Arrested

Renowned Iranian singer-songwriter Mehdi Yarrahi has been taken into custody based on an order from the Tehran Prosecutor’s office. The arrest comes in connection with a song that authorities have deemed “unlawful,” according to ISNA’s report.

Recently, the judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, revealed that Yarrahi is facing legal proceedings due to a song that has been judged as “contrary to the values and norms of Islamic society.”

It’s worth noting that the singer had previously faced legal restrictions on his personal property rights due to his support for the 2022 nationwide protests. Mehdi Yarrahi, aged 42, is a singer and songwriter, hailing from Ahvaz.

Background on the 2022 Nationwide Protests

The arrest of Mahsa Amini by Tehran Morality Police for her improper hijab and her suspicious death on September 16 sparked protests sweeping across Iran. Protesters came to the streets with the central slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in protest against the performance, laws and structure of the regime. During the nationwide protests, thousands of people, including journalists, artists, lawyers, teachers, students and civil rights activists, were arrested.

 

A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for January 3, 2019

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on January 3rd, 2019 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

(1) Kourosh Karampour, a teacher and a poet, was beaten and arrested in Abadan. He had been summoned to Ministry of Education because of his interviews in support of teachers’ strikes and protests in the last few months.

(2) Mohsen Valadkhani, a detained Telegram activist, was released from prison after finishing his one-year sentence. He was charged with ‘insulting the Supreme Leader’ and ‘propaganda against the state’.

(3) Child abuse in Mashhad caused the death of a six-year-old girl. Hadiseh was transferred to a hospital on December 25th and died yesterday. Her body shows signs of torture such as burn wound infections on her genital and the rest of her body.

(4) Ahmad Taghavi, a retired teacher and a union activist, was arrested in the city of Abhar in Zanjan province. The reason of his arrest and his whereabouts are unknown.

(5) Four Azerbaijani Turkic minority rights activists were released on bail in Sarab. Sahand Moali, Vahid Nourahmadi, Heidar Mazinani, and Mohammad Ranjbari had been arrested on December 31.

(6) Mehdi Yarrahi, a pop singer, was banned from working because he wore work costume of the workers of Iran National Steel Company on the stage. Also, “Jame Sabz”, the producer company of his new music video “Pareh Sang”, in which he pointed out Khuzestan issues, was suspended.

(7) The head of Housing Foundation in Golestan province reported that approximately 128 thousand houses and schools in villages are prone to natural disasters. This would cause catastrophes and villagers’ migration.

(8) Four human rights organizations published an annual of Military forces monitoring in remote areas: more than 300 injuries and deaths in 11 provinces.

(9) Mohsen Farahmand and Mohammad Dadresi were released on bail in Marivan. Hamid Parvazeh, Mohammad Parvazeh, and Salman Afra are still in prison. They are accused of ‘cooperation with a Kurdish opposition group’ and were denied access to a lawyer.

(10) Majid Khomami Asl was executed in Nowshahr today. He was charged with murder in a so-called honor-killing.

(11) Two mines were shut down over environmental pollution concerns.

(12) Department of Environment reported the arrest of 44 poachers in Mahabad and 199 poachers in Ardabil during the last eight months.

(13) 12 students were poisoned by a nonstandard gas heater in a Valiasr school of Tabriz. Two of them were transferred to hospital. Nonstandard heaters used in schools reportedly have caused catastrophes.

(14) One worker died and three were injured because of unsafe workplaces in Tabriz and Yazd on January 3, 2019.

(15) Hasan Shahreza, a detained Gonabadi dervish, was denied medical care in Fashafuieh prison. He has several shots of police shotgun in his body since he was arrested 10 months ago. Detained dervishes reportedly tried to take out bullets by tuna can lid.

(16) The city services workers of Borujerd, Dorud, Aleshtar, Kuhdasht, Chaghabal, and Khorramabad in Lorestan province have 115 billion Toman [$11M] unpaid wages combined. They have at least five months unpaid wages.