Photo: Toomaj Salehi | By Emily Bashforth, The Metro || An Iranian revolutionary court sentenced the well-known hip hop star today (April 24) for charges linked to Iran’s 2022-23 unrest, his lawyer told the Iranian newspaper Sharq. Salehi was initially arrested in October 2022 after voicing support for the nationwide Woman, Life, Freedom protests.
Salehi showed solidarity for the months-long protests in his songs, which were sparked by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman arrested for allegedly wearing an ‘improper’ hijab.
He released songs criticising the government, demanding more rights for women in Iran [eee-ron].
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He was sentenced in July 2023 to six years and three months in prison for ‘corruption on Earth’.
Salehi previously avoided a death sentence due to a Supreme Court ruling. He was released on bail on November 18, 2023, after the Supreme Court, responding to an appeal, found ‘flaws in the original sentence.’
His case was returned to a lower court for reexamination and possible retrial.
However, less than two weeks later, the musician was sent back to hail [sic; jail?], facing new charges after publicly discussing his torture in prison in a video.
‘Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of (the central city of) Isfahan in an unprecedented move, did not enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling… and sentenced Salehi to the harshest punishment,’ his lawyer Amir Raisian told Sharq on Wednesday.
The Iranian judiciary has not confirmed the sentence yet.
Salehi has 20 days to appeal the ruling.
‘We will definitely appeal this verdict,’ his lawyer confirmed.
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Go here to read the rest of this story which includes punishments for other Iranian musicians:
https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/24/iran-sentence-hip-hop-star-toomaj-salehi-death-protest-support-20711297/
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Death of Mahsa Amini – Original story 12/01/22
Free Iranian Protest Rapper Toomaj Salehi – #FreeToomaj
Iranian rap artist Toomaj Salehi was charged with ‘waging war against god’ in Iran [eee-ron] which carries a sentence that could be punishable by death. His family is devastated that his life is now at serious risk.
Reports say that he was kidnapped, arrested and charged with these crimes without access to lawyers — all in response to him creating music that speaks up for human rights and against the escalating violence in Iran.
Artists and people all over the world are adding their voices to this petition, asking for the UN to demand the release of Toomaj and all other innocent protest and political prisoners in Iran. Will you add your voice too?
Sign now with a click
https://www.change.org/p/free-iranian-protest-rapper-toomaj-salehi-freetoomajsalehi-freetoomaj
Over 480,000 people have now signed Dr. Azadeh Taghipour’s petition, which was started weeks ago when the arrest of protestors began. They want to get to 500,000 – sign NOW!
As you may know, currently, Iranian people are demonstrating according to the motto “Woman, Life, Freedom” and risking their lives in the fight for freedom, human rights and democracy.
Toomaj is just one of many young people facing severe consequences like imprisonment and the possibility of the death sentence for attending or supporting the protests in Iran.
Sign today to show your support for the #FreeToomaj movement.
Thank you.
Dr. Azadeh Taghipour
https://www.change.org/p/free-iranian-protest-rapper-toomaj-salehi-freetoomajsalehi-freetoomaj
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The rapper Toomaj Salehi is an activist for human rights who protests with his music against the brutality of the Islamic Republic. He was arrested by the security forces of the supreme leaders on 30.10.2022 and was taken to an unknown place of detention. His life is in danger.
You have certainly learned about the current bitter situation in Iran through the media. As Iranians abroad, we are obliged to organize this petition.
Currently, Iranian people are demonstrating according to the motto “Woman, Life, Freedom” and risking their lives in the fight for freedom, human rights and democracy, which has been taken away from Iranians since the Islamic Revolution.
For years, people from different social classes have been oppressed by violence and torture, gunshots with military weapons and murdered. The artists and singers are one of the groups under the pressure from the Islamic Republic.
We hereby demand:
1) That you forcefully demand the release of Toomaj Salehi and all other innocent protest and political prisoners in Iran.
2) The international solidarity from all human rights authorities worldwide to stop this corrupt regime.
The first signatories:
Dr. Azadeh Taghipour, Sajad Jamal Esfarjani Nejad, Family of Toomaj Salehi: Eghbal Eghbali, Behzad Mir Ahmadi.
Photo: Toomaj
Iranian Rapper Toomaj Salehi Has Been Sentenced to Death – #FreeToomaj
