An Iranian singer has been sentenced to four years in prison after performing at a concert in Tehran earlier this year, in a case that has sparked criticism from cultural figures and human rights advocates.
Hiwa Seyfizade was arrested in February when security forces broke up the event at the Rooberoo Mansion cultural centre in the Iranian capital. She was subsequently convicted of “incitement to corruption and prostitution” and handed a four-year prison term.
The singer, who has worked in Iranian music for years, broke her silence on Instagram, questioning the basis of the verdict. “How can singing a poem by Saadi, or Iranian singing in general, be considered incitement to corruption and prostitution?” she asked in a video statement.
She also clarified that the concert did not involve violations of the mandatory headscarf dress code. However, public performances by female singers are effectively banned in Iran, especially when men are present in the audience.
“All these years, despite all the problems, conditions and limitations for me and for singers, I have tried to do what I love,” Seyfizade said in her video message. She added that she intends to challenge the verdict with her lawyer.
The case draws comparisons to that of singer Parastoo Ahmadi, who was detained in late 2024 following an online concert performed without a hijab. In June 2026, Ahmadi was sentenced to 74 lashes along with others involved in that virtual concert.
Women in Iran have increasingly defied strict Islamic laws in recent years, particularly following the 2022 protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly violating hijab rules. Those demonstrations, held under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”, were met with a violent crackdown by authorities.
