Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death in Iran for supporting nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.
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Dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death for his involvement in the protests that swept Iran in 2022.
“An order has been issued for the execution of Toomaj Salehi,” said Salehi’s lawyer, Amir Raesian.
The rapper was detainedheld in solitary confinement and allegedly tortured after detention.
In an unprecedented move, a court in Isfahan reversed the Supreme Court’s decision in Salehi’s case last week, upholding the original verdict of “corruption in the land”, and sentenced him to the maximum death penalty, according to media reports. pro-reform Iranian media houses Shargh and Entekhab.
State media reported that Salehi’s sentence could be reduced by a pardon commission if he appeals again.
Salehi, 32, has been critic of the Iranian regime and spoke out against the government in rap lyrics and on social media.
He was involved in the weeks-long protests that swept the country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which ended with a brutal crackdown by Iranian authorities. Amini died in the custody of the country’s morality police after being detained for wearing a hijab that was too loose.
Salehi is primarily known for his protest songs about Iran’s social issues and the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran government — songs such as ‘Mouse Hole’, ‘Turkmenchay’ and ‘Pomegranate’.
His last YouTube video, published before his arrest in 2022, included the lyrics: “Someone’s crime was dancing with their hair in the wind/Someone’s crime was that he or she was brave and criticized… 44 years since your government/ It is the year of failure”.
Salehi is not the only artist to have been targeted for showing opposition to the government. Kurdish-Iranian rapper Saman Yasin, who was also arrested at the height of the 2022 protests in Iran, was taken to a psychiatric hospital twice in less than a year, according to the IranWire news agency. A court in Tehran sentenced Yasin to five years in prison, according to Kurdish rights group Hengaw.
The recent news has sparked protests from human rights organizations.
“We strongly condemn the death sentence of Toomaj Salehi and the five-year sentence for Kurdish-Iranian rapper Saman Yasin. We call for his immediate release,” the United States Office of the Special Envoy for Iran posted on social media. “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 that the Iranian people seek.”
UN experts also called for Salehi’s release, urging Iranian authorities to reverse the death sentence.
“We are alarmed by the imposition of the death sentence and the alleged mistreatment of Mr. Salehi, which appears to be related solely to the exercise of his right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity,” they stated.
However, Salehi’s political sponsor in Europe, German MP Ye-One Rhie, described the death sentence as “absurd and inhumane”.
“It is still not completely clear how this verdict came about,” he said. “The irresponsible and arbitrary way in which the Iranian regime treats the defendants is unbelievable. It is impossible to recognize the rule of law in the chaos of the courts.”
The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammy Awards, also released a statement about the case, saying it was “deeply disturbed” by the sentence.
“No artist should have to fear for their life or livelihood when expressing themselves through their art. Music is a powerful force for good in the world and is needed today more than ever. We stand alongside music creators around the world who use their gifts to shed light on the human condition and will continue to work tirelessly to protect artistic freedom.”
