Iran Tried To Flog A Voice Into Silence. A Fellow Musician Says 'Girls Are Still Singing'

Iran sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi to 74 lashes for singing a song while not wearing a hijab, but the punishment may only make women’s voices harder to silence, according to a fellow performer. Hana Kamkar, an Iranian singer now in exile, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that women and girls continue to sing in Iran despite bans on solo singing, a dress code, and years of pressure. She says Ahmadi’s virtual concert without a head scarf was an act of defiance that amplified Iranians' struggles on a global platform.