An Iranian rapper jailed and sentenced to death for supporting anti-government protests has had his sentence overturned on appeal by the Supreme Court, his lawyer said.
Toomaj Salehi was arrested in October 2022 after making public statements in support of the protests that erupted across Iran.
His lawyer, Amir Raesian, said the Supreme Court had now ordered a retrial and judges had ruled that Salehi’s previous prison sentence of six years and three months went against Iran’s rules on criminal offences. multiple and exceeded the legal penalty.
Salehi, 22, was initially sentenced to prison in July 2023, after avoiding the death penalty thanks to a Supreme Court ruling.
But the following January, the revolutionary court in the city of Isfahan charged him with new crimes.
He was sentenced to death in April for the capital crime of “corruption on earth.”
The musician was also convicted of a series of other crimes, including aiding sedition, inciting a riot, collusion and propaganda against the state.
Index on Censorship, a campaign group working with Salehi’s family to free the rapper, welcomed the decision to overturn the death sentence.
But he specifies: “It is essential that his rights are properly respected.”
Salehi’s case was sent back to court for resentencing. “Even a shorter period of imprisonment would be an injustice,” says the Censorship Index.
“Salehi has done nothing other than call for respect for his fundamental rights and those of other Iranians.”
Through his songs and lyrics, Salehi was infamous for his bold criticism of Iran’s leaders for their corruption and suppression of dissent.
He had expressed support for the 2022 protests, sparked by the death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Aminiin custody.
Amini, 22, was visiting Tehran with her family when she was arrested by religious police for allegedly wearing an “inappropriate” hijab.
The repression of the protests led to the deaths of hundreds of people and the arrest of thousands more.
Before the nationwide unrest, Salehi was already an established artist and known as an outspoken figure. He posted his songs on social media because he was banned from performing in concerts.
