Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to death by an Islamic revolutionary court in Iran for his vocal support of the 2022 anti-government protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.
His lawyer, Amir Raesian, confirmed the death sentence and stated that they would appeal the ruling.
Toomaj Salehi, an outspoken artist known for his critiques of the Iranian leadership and crackdowns on dissent, was initially arrested in October 2022 after publicly supporting the protests through his music. He was charged with numerous offenses and sentenced in July 2023 to six years and three months in prison, narrowly avoiding a death sentence due to a Supreme Court ruling.
However, in January 2024, the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan accused Salehi of new charges, including “corruption on earth,” “armed rebellion,” “assembly and collusion,” “propaganda against the ruling establishment,” and “inciting riots.” Despite the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling for clemency, the revolutionary court ignored it and issued the harshest punishment – the death sentence.
In his interview with Shargh Daily, Amir Raesian expressed shock at the verdict saying that the revolutionary court disregarded the Supreme Court’s ruling and issued new charges before handing down “the harshest punishment.” Salehi has 20 days to appeal the death sentence.
“The primary court sentenced Toomaj Salehi to the harshest punishment, death, on the charge of ‘corruption on Earth’…We will definitely appeal this sentence.”
Prior to the 2022 protests, Salehi was already a well-known and outspoken figure in Iran, banned from performing in concerts and instead sharing his music and critical lyrics on social media. His songs boldly criticized the Iranian leadership for corruption and crackdowns on dissent.
The harsh sentence against Toomaj Salehi appears to be a calculated move by the Iranian regime to send a strong message about its determination to suppress any form of dissent, even from artists and public figures. Human rights organizations and activists have condemned the verdict, calling it a grave violation of freedom of expression and a blatant attempt to stifle dissenting voices.