Mahdi Yarrahi: I Am Ready to Carry Out the Sentence of 74 Lashes

Mahdi Yarrahi, the protesting singer, announced on Tuesday, January 1, that he is ready for the "execution of the sentence of 74 lashes." Earlier, Zahra Minoui, Mr. Yarrahi's lawyer, announced on Saturday, December 30, that the one-year prison sentence of her client had ended, stating that the imprisonment of this protesting singer had concluded with an "electronic bracelet," but he still faces the punishment of 74 lashes. In this regard, Mr. Yarrahi wrote on the social network "X": "While condemning this inhumane torture, I have no request for its cancellation." Mahdi Yarrahi was arrested on September 6 of last year by the security forces of the Islamic Republic for singing the protest song "Rusari To" in his home and was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months of imprisonment and 74 lashes, of which one year of his prison sentence was executable. Mr. Yarrahi sang this song in support of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement and in protest against the mandatory hijab law in Iran. Upon the release of this song, he stated that he dedicates it to "the noble women of my homeland who shine at the forefront of the battle." The arrest of Mahdi Yarrahi received widespread attention on social media and in global media, with many artists and human rights organizations supporting him.