An Iranian court has handed down a death sentence to well-known rapper Toomaj Salehi over his involvement in protests stemming from the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who died in police custody under controversial circumstances. Salehi’s music and public statements had supported the widespread demonstrations that erupted across Iran, demanding justice and reform.
According to Salehi’s attorney, Amir Raisian, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan disregarded a prior Supreme Court ruling that had sentenced Salehi to six years and three months in prison, opting instead for capital punishment.
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“The Revolutionary Court of Isfahan, in an unprecedented move, did not enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling and sentenced Salehi to the harshest punishment,” Raisian reported to the Iranian newspaper Sharq. The judiciary has not yet confirmed this sentence, and Salehi has been granted 20 days to file an appeal, which his lawyer has confirmed will be pursued.
The US Office of the Special Envoy for Iran has condemned the sentence, describing it as “a clear example of the regime’s brutal abuse of its own citizens, disregard for human rights, and fear of the democratic change the Iranian people seek.” The international community continues to watch closely as developments unfold in Salehi’s case.