Mehdi Yarahi
Iranian singer Mehdi Yarahi was given 74 lashes on March 5, 2025, after being sentenced for “drinking alcohol “and releasing a song that challenged the country's strict hijab laws. His lawyer confirmed that the punishment was carried out at the Tehran Morality Security Prosecutor's Office.
Yarahi's song, Roosarito (Your Headscarf), encouraged women to take off their hijabs and featured women dancing without them. He was arrested in August 2023 and sentenced to nearly three years in prison and 74 lashes for the song. Later, his sentence was changed to house arrest because of health problems, but the lashes were still carried out.
The flogging has sparked anger from human rights groups, who say it was meant to punish Yarahi for supporting protests over women's rights in Iran. These protests began after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab properly.
From my perspective, tying everything to a so-called “Islamic” system, including the name "Islamic Republic," is a distortion of true Islam. As Surah An-Nisa (4:135) says, justice is essential, and we see none of that in this decision. Yarahi didn’t even deserve to be arrested. Every individual has the right to make their own choices, and no one should be forced to follow a specific belief. Each person is responsible for themselves, and no one has the right to dictate what others should believe or do.
Yarahi’s message remains defiant: "He who is not willing to pay a price for freedom is not worthy of it." Despite the punishment, he is still seen as a symbol of resistance against Iran's oppressive laws.
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًۭا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا ١٣٥
O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ChZablq2OY&ab_channel=MehdiYarrahi
