Musician Toomaj Salehi, who became famous especially for his critical lyrics towards the theocratic regime, was sentenced to death in Iran. Citing the artist’s lawyer, the Associated Press News reported about it.
Thirty-three-year-old rapper Toomaj Salehi came to the attention of the Iranian public after the tragic death of Mahsa Aminíova, who was arrested by the police in 2022 for allegedly not wearing a hijab properly. She then died in custody, despite the fact that, according to her family, she was completely healthy. After her death, a series of protests broke out across the country, which also spilled over into world capitals. During their suppression, more than 500 people died in Iran and over 20,000 were detained.
It was Aminíová that Salehi referred to in some of his texts. In others, he predicted the end of the Islamic Republic or criticized high-ranking politicians, including the spiritual leader Ali Khamenei.
Salehi has been fighting the courts for a long time. Already in 2022, he was arrested twice, the first time he was sentenced to six years, but he was subsequently released on bail. The second time, the police released him after he publicly apologized for his statements. Now he was sentenced to death. However, the artist’s attorney plans to file an appeal.
The death sentence caused immediate negative reactions. “Through art, it must be possible to criticize, provoke and push boundaries in any society,” said the UN panel of independent observers for Iran. “This is another example of the terrible and pervasive violation of human rights by the Iranian regime,” said Vedant Patel, a spokesman for the United States Department of State.
