Iranian Rapper Toomaj Salehi Sentenced to Death for Role in 2022-23 Unrest

Well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi is facing a death sentence for his involvement in the 2022-23 unrest that followed the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, was initially arrested for allegedly wearing an improper hijab, leading to her death in police custody.

The widespread protests triggered by Amini’s death extended across Iran and garnered global support for women protesting against the mandated hijab rules. Salehi, known for his protest songs, was arrested in October 2022 after publicly expressing support for the protests that lasted for months.

In 2023, Salehi was initially sentenced to six years and three months in prison, escaping the death penalty after a Supreme Court ruling in his favor. However, an Iranian Revolutionary Court recently sentenced him to death for his alleged role in the unrest, defying the prior Supreme Court decision.

The US Office of the Special Envoy for Iran has condemned Salehi’s death sentence, denouncing the Iranian judiciary for its severe treatment of its citizens and disregard for human rights in the face of democratic aspirations among Iranians.

Accused of aiding sedition, organizing protests, and spreading anti-regime propaganda, Salehi also faces charges of collaborating with foreign entities hostile to Iran. Another singer, Mehdi Yarrahi, who similarly supported the protest movement, received a prison sentence of two years and eight months.

As the aftermath of Mahsa Amini’s death continues to unfold, Salehi’s case reflects the ongoing tensions between dissent and the Iranian judiciary’s crackdown on perceived threats to state stability, despite international scrutiny and condemnation.