Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death for role in Mahsa Amini protests

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been given a death sentence by an Iranian revolutionary court for his involvement in the Mahsa Amini protests which broke out in 2022 in Iran, media reports said quoting his attorney's statement to the Iranian newspaper Sharq.

Toomaj Salehi, known for his protest songs, expressed support for the widespread agitation ignited by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody over alleged flouting of the hijab rules. The uproar surrounding Amini's arrest and demise reverberateddomestically and internationally,triggeringreactions from various quarters.

Detained in October 2022 for endorsing the nationwide protests, Salehi had been released on bail but was rearrested later.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Also Read |Hamas top official says militant group ready for truce, but on one condition

Previously sentenced to six years and three months in prison, Salehi had managed to avoid a death sentence following a Supreme Court ruling that overturned his initial conviction which cited multiple charges including "corruption on earth."

However, despite the Supreme Court's decision, Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan upheld the death penalty against Salehi while defying the higher court's ruling, according to the rapper's lawyer Amir Raisian.

Also Read |US campus protests: Speaker Johnson heckled by protesters amid violent clashes

Reuters has, however, reported that the Iranian judiciary has yet to confirm the sentence. Notably, Salehi has a 20-day window to appeal the verdict. "We will definitely appeal this verdict," assured Salehi's lawyer.

Watch |Blinken’s Visit to China: US Secy of State Antony Blinken holds meeting with top Shanghai official

Throughout his imprisonment, the 33-year-old rapper has reportedly suffered physical injuries, according to his official social media page.

US Office of the Special Envoy for Iran condemns sentence

The US Office of the Special Envoy for Iran condemned the sentence. The office, in a statement, said, "We strongly condemn Toomaj Salehi’s death sentence and the five-year sentence for Kurdish-Iranian rapper Saman Yasin. We call for their immediate release. 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."

(With inputs from agencies)