برای خواندن این مطلب به فارسی اینجا را کلیک کنید
Iranian judicial authorities have sentenced traditional singer and music instructor Hiwa Seyfizadeh to four years in prison on the charge of “encouraging corruption and prostitution” following a live musical performance in Tehran, raising serious concerns about freedom of artistic expression, women’s rights, due process, and the continued use of broadly defined morality-related offenses to restrict female performers in Iran.
The sentence was issued by a court of first instance and is not yet final. Seyfizadeh has said that she and her attorney intend to appeal the ruling.
The case stems from a February 27, 2025 performance at Emarat Rooberoo, a cultural venue in Tehran. Security forces interrupted the event and arrested Seyfizadeh while she was performing. At the time, reports indicated that she was detained during the performance, while the specific criminal allegations against her were not immediately disclosed.
Seyfizadeh has now publicly described the circumstances surrounding the case. According to her account, she had been performing for only a few minutes and was singing verses by the classical Persian poet Saadi in the traditional Iranian vocal style when the program was disrupted.
Following the announcement of the verdict, Seyfizadeh questioned how her conduct could meet the legal definition of the offense for which she was convicted. She said she could not determine from the ruling what specific action she had taken that constituted “encouraging corruption and prostitution.”
The circumstances surrounding the original performance have also been the subject of dispute. Iranian cultural authorities indicated following Seyfizadeh’s arrest that the event lacked the necessary authorization. However, questions over licensing do not by themselves explain the subsequent use of a serious morality-related criminal charge carrying a four-year prison sentence.
The verdict has prompted criticism from within Iran’s artistic community. Hamidreza Nourbakhsh, managing director of Iran’s House of Music, questioned the basis for imposing such a severe sentence in connection with Seyfizadeh’s performance. The reaction reflects broader concerns among Iranian musicians over the legal uncertainty and professional restrictions facing female singers.
Women in Iran continue to face restrictions on solo performances before mixed-gender audiences that do not apply in the same manner to male performers. Female singers have faced canceled concerts, judicial summonses, arrests, restrictions on professional activity and legal cases connected to performances in public venues or material distributed online.
These restrictions have created a discriminatory environment in which women musicians can face professional and legal consequences simply for forms of artistic expression routinely available to men.
Seyfizadeh’s case is particularly concerning because, according to her account, the conduct underlying the prosecution involved the performance of traditional Iranian music and classical Persian poetry rather than any action that could justify restrictions on freedom of expression under international law.
Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 protects freedom of expression, including artistic expression, while Article 26 guarantees equality before the law and protection against discrimination. Any restrictions on expression must meet requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Iran is also a party, further recognizes the right of individuals to participate in cultural life.
Criminalizing peaceful artistic expression and imposing discriminatory restrictions on female musicians are inconsistent with Iran’s obligation to protect freedom of expression and ensure equal treatment without discrimination.
The use of a charge as serious and broadly defined as “encouraging corruption and prostitution” in connection with a traditional musical performance also raises significant due process concerns. Criminal laws must be sufficiently clear for individuals to understand what conduct is prohibited and must not be applied in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner.
The fact that Seyfizadeh herself has publicly questioned which specific element of her performance constituted the alleged offense underscores the importance of transparency and legal clarity in her case.
The sentence also risks creating consequences beyond Seyfizadeh herself. Severe criminal penalties against female singers can produce a chilling effect across Iran’s artistic community, discouraging musicians, venues, producers, and cultural institutions from supporting female performers even where the boundaries of permissible artistic activity remain unclear.
NIAC strongly opposes the criminalization of peaceful artistic expression and discriminatory restrictions that deny women opportunities available to their male counterparts. Nobody should face years in prison merely for singing, performing music, or peacefully participating in Iran’s cultural life.
We call on Iranian judicial authorities to drop all charges against Hiwa Seyfizadeh’s, to respect her due process rights and Iran’s international human rights obligations, and to overturn any convictions against her and other female artists based solely on their peaceful artistic expression.
Iranian authorities should also end discriminatory restrictions on female singers and ensure that musicians and other artists can create, perform, and participate in cultural life without fear of arrest, imprisonment, censorship, or retaliation.