An Iranian court has handed down a death sentence to Toomaj Salehi, a popular rapper who has been imprisoned for over a year and a half for his support of nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.
Toomaj Salehi, 33, was arrested in October 2022 after voicing his support for the protests that erupted in September 2022. These protests were ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody after being detained by Tehran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s dress code for women.
Amir Raisian, Salehi’s lawyer, confirmed the death sentence, stating, “Branch 1 of Isfahan Revolutionary Court… sentenced Salehi to death on the charge of corruption on Earth.” Raisian further highlighted that the court’s decision contradicts a ruling by the Supreme Court, which had previously identified flaws in Salehi’s initial six-year prison sentence. “We will certainly appeal against the sentence,” Raisian added.
Salehi was initially released on bail on November 18 but was rearrested less than two weeks later. He had faced charges including “assistance in sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the system, and calling for riots,” according to Raisian.
Another singer, Mehdi Yarrahi, who also supported the protest movement and criticised Iran’s mandatory dress code for women, received a prison sentence of two years and eight months.
Following Amini’s death in September 2022, Iran witnessed months of unrest,, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. Iranian authorities labelled the protests as “riots” and blamed foreign entities for instigating the unrest.
Nine individuals have been executed in connection with protest-related violence against security forces.
In the aftermath of Amini’s death, many women began publicly flouting the mandatory dress code, prompting the morality police to maintain a low profile. However, local media reported that since April 13, Iranian police have intensified efforts to enforce the dress code by deploying patrol vans in the main squares of Tehran.
The police have launched a campaign named “Noor” (meaning ‘light’) to crack down on individuals violating the hijab laws, which mandate women to cover their hair and bodies in public places. Authorities have also shut down cafes and restaurants where the hijab rules were not adhered to as part of their efforts to enforce compliance with the dress code.