In Iran, rapper Toomaj Salehi released after serving his sentence

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, imprisoned for participation in the protest movement in Iran in 2022, was released after serving his sentence, Iranian justice announced Monday, December 2. The 34-year-old singer was arrested in October 2022 after publicly supporting the protests that broke out in September. These were triggered by the death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, arrested by the moral police who accused her of having violated the strict dress code imposed on women in Iran.

Toomaj Salehi was released in November 2023 but arrested again around ten days later, before being released for good yesterday. “ Toomaj Salehi, sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the political system, was released from prison on Sunday after serving his sentence », indicated Sunday evening the organ of the Mizan judiciary. His defense had stated that the rapper had been accused of “ incitement to sedition, assembly, conspiracy, propaganda against the system and call for riots “. He had supported the protest movement through his songs and on social networks.

Deadly protests

Toomaj Salehi was also sentenced to death last April for “ corruption on Earth », one of the most serious charges in Iran, but the supreme court overturned this conviction in June.

Several hundred people, including members of the security forces, were killed and thousands arrested during major protests in October and November 2022 in Iran. Ten men were hanged after being convicted in connection with the protest movement following the death of Mahsa Amini.