Iranian rapper sentenced to death for participating in anti-government protests
In a piece of unsettling news, Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to death by an Iranian court due to his involvement in the 2022 protests against the current regime. The announcement was confirmed by his attorney, Amir Raesian, who shared on social media that "An order for the execution of Toomaj Salehi has been issued." Following his arrest, the 32-year-old artist was reportedly held in solitary confinement and allegedly subjected to torture.
Salehi's death penalty upheld by Isfahan court
The Isfahan court upheld the initial verdict of "corruption on earth" against Salehi, leading to the imposition of the death penalty. This information was disclosed by Iranian pro-reform media outlets Shargh and Entekhab. State-run media hinted that Salehi's sentence could potentially be reduced by a pardoning committee if he chooses to appeal again. Currently, it is unclear if he will take that route.
Salehi has been vocal about his disapproval of the government
Salehi has been vocal about his disapproval of the Iranian government, expressing his dissent through rap music and online posts. After a brief release from prison last year, he was re-arrested and returned to jail following a video disclosure where he revealed enduring torture and solitary confinement for 252 days. Initially, Salehi had received a six-year prison sentence for protesting the death of Jina "Mahsa" Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman who infamously died in police custody.
US Special Envoy for Iran, Recording Academy condemn Salehi's sentence
The US Office of the Special Envoy for Iran condemned Salehi's death sentence and stated on X, "These are the latest examples of the regime's brutal abuse of its own citizens, disregard for human rights, and fear of the democratic change the Iranian people seek." The Recording Academy also expressed grave concern over Salehi's predicament: "No artist anywhere should have to fear for their life or livelihood when expressing themselves through their art."
Charges Salehi has been branded with
Salehi was initially freed after Iran's Supreme Court found errors in his original six-year prison sentence, only to be re-arrested later. The Revolutionary Court has charged him with aiding "sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the system and calling for riots." His initial charges included spreading "lies on the internet" and "propaganda against the state," inciting violence, and forming illegal groups to disrupt security. The protests he supported were sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in 2022, which caused worldwide unrest.
