Mehrad Aminian: Artists Must Support Parastoo Ahmadi and Her Companions

The news of the arrest and subsequent release of Parastoo Ahmadi, a young Iranian singer, and two of her accompanying musicians during the hypothetical concert 'Caravansara' by the Islamic Republic, has received widespread attention on social media and has been met with significant criticism. Etemad Online reported, citing Tasnim: 'Parastoo Ahmadi, who was summoned by the Mazandaran public security police due to the production and dissemination of a video outside of social norms and values, exited the police building with her family after a briefing session.' According to this report, the police announced that she is required to refer to the judiciary for further proceedings. Earlier, Milad Panahipour, a lawyer, reported on Saturday, December 24, about the arrest of Parastoo Ahmadi in Mazandaran province. Mehrad Aminian, a singer and musician residing in Toronto, Canada, strongly protested the pressure placed on artists by the Islamic Republic in an interview with Voice of America. He stated: 'There is no doubt that Parastoo Ahmadi and her accompanying musicians knew they would be harassed by the Islamic Republic and, fully aware of the dangers they faced, bravely held this concert.' Aminian further added: 'The performance of these artists, knowing they would be targeted by the Islamic Republic, a regime that is an enemy of art and beauty, is commendable.' He emphasized that Parastoo Ahmadi and her companions were willing to pay a heavy price for holding this concert and courageously undertook this cultural, artistic, social, and political action. According to Aminian, artists inside and outside Iran must support them by protesting the arrest of Parastoo Ahmadi and her musicians, which is a human duty. He further noted that given the current conditions, the activities of these artists, and others like Toumaj Salehi or Shervin Hajipour, who are active inside Iran, have a much greater impact than statements made outside Iran in complete safety. Aminian stated that the only duty of Iranians abroad is to support these brave artists and to globalize their bravery and courage. He added that all Iranians should be the voice of Parastoo Ahmadi, her companions, and all brave artists who challenge the laws and restrictions of this regime so that the regime cannot harm them and these artists can return to their normal lives. Regarding the significance of Parastoo Ahmadi's concert and her accompanying musicians, Aminian said: 'In recent years, we have witnessed the performances of some female singers in various ways inside Iran, and other women have also disregarded the laws and restrictions of the Islamic Republic by posting videos of their singing or dancing on social media, but the performance of Parastoo Ahmadi and her companions in the hypothetical Caravansara concert is the first of its kind and holds special importance.' He continued that the timing of this concert is very important, and on the other hand, the brave, good, professional, and calculated performance of Parastoo Ahmadi and her group somewhat legitimizes women's performances in Iran. Aminian noted that attention to details such as the choice of location or the singer's clothing, lighting, sound engineering, arrangement, and especially the performance pieces, was very intelligently executed, and the final product is of high artistic quality. He added that while this may be a hypothetical concert without an audience that was only streamed online, it is the first professional concert freely performed by a female singer in Iran in over 40 years, which is very significant. The concert of Parastoo Ahmadi in a caravansary in Iran took place on Wednesday, December 21, without mandatory hijab and was streamed live on YouTube, becoming one of the most viewed events reflected in Iranian social media and receiving attention and praise from many social media users. This concert was also reported by several media outlets worldwide. Following this concert, which has had around 1.4 million viewers so far, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated on Friday, December 22, that a legal case has been opened in response to the release of the 'hypothetical concert in a caravansary' that was published on social media, in which 'a group is performing a piece of music with a female singer without adhering to legal and religious standards.' The arrest and release of Parastoo Ahmadi followed a 'briefing session' at the security police. Ismailian: Iran without the Islamic Republic will taste freedom and justice. Praise for Parastoo Ahmadi's 'bravery' by users; formation of a legal case. A voice from the heart of history; Parastoo Ahmadi's concert without hijab in the heart of Iran.