Aftershocks of Parastoo Ahmadi's Concert; Caravanserai Sealed and Cultural Heritage Director Dismissed

Two weeks after the 'Caravanserai Concert' performed by Parastoo Ahmadi, which was held without mandatory hijab and broadcast live on YouTube, Iranian officials announced the sealing of the Deir Gachin caravanserai and the dismissal of the cultural heritage director of Qom. On Wednesday, January 5, the Islamic Republic's television reported, citing the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism of Masoud Pezeshkian's government, that the concert was deemed 'unauthorized' and labeled 'vulgar,' leading to the referral of the caravanserai manager, who hosted the event, to court. The virtual concert held on December 21 received widespread attention on social media. Parastoo Ahmadi explained her performance on the YouTube channel broadcasting the event: 'I, Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love. This is a right I could not overlook; singing for the land I love dearly.' While users praised Parastoo Ahmadi's courage for performing this 'hypothetical concert,' the Iranian judiciary announced on December 22, without naming her, that a legal case had been opened against her and the organizers of the 'hypothetical concert in a caravanserai.' The news channel Emtedad reported on January 3 that Parastoo Ahmadi, along with her lawyers, had visited the 38th district court of 'moral security' in Tehran, and judicial officials released her on a bail of three billion tomans after informing her of the charges. The report indicated that a bail of 'two billion tomans' was also issued for the musicians. The specific charges against Parastoo Ahmadi and her artistic group were not mentioned in the report, and it remains unclear what accusations the judicial authorities have attributed to them. The issuance of a 'three billion toman' bail for Parastoo Ahmadi has drawn attention, with Israeli singer Yasmin Levy calling her the 'bravest' artist, and Kaveh Sakat supporting calls to lift restrictions on women's music. Maria stated that, aside from the controversies, there should be a focus on women's right to sing. Parastoo Ahmadi was detained and released at '3 AM' after a 'briefing session' at the security police.