Iranian Singer Mehdi Yarrahi Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison, with 74 lashes

Iranian pop music composer and singer Mehdi Yarrahi, has received a verdict of two years and eight months in prison along with 74 lashes for a critical song; ‘Roosarito’ (Your Headscarf). The released song criticized Iran’s law mandating women to wear head scarfs.

The singer is currently out on bail, set at 150 billion rials (around $300,000). He was in jail since August 2023, before his release in October. However, Mehdi Yarrahi’s lawyer, Zahra Minooei has clarified that, according to Islamic penal law, he will receive a reduction of one year in prison.

Mehdi Yarrahi – ‘Roosarito’

Mehdi Yarrahi’s arrest occurred four days after he released “Roosarito,” a song addressing the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody on September 16, 2022, accused of violating the strict hijab dress code. The government-associated media labelled the song as “illegal and contrary to the ethics and norms of Islamic society.”

The charges against Mehdi Yarrahi include “producing, sending, distributing, and publishing obscene and immoral content through computer and telecommunication systems” and “encouraging people towards corruption and obscenity,” along with “propaganda against the system.”

Yarrahi’s conviction follows in the footsteps of singers like Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin, who have also faced imprisonment for supporting the uprising. This situation raises concerns about freedom of expression and artistic liberties in Iran.

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