UPDATED, 7:05 PM: Months after escaping Iran‘s dying penalty and seeing all the fees in opposition to him dismissed, rapper Toomaj Salehi lastly walked out of jail at this time.
The announcement was made Sunday on the musician’s social media feeds:
On the thirtysomething rapper’s put up it learn, partly: Toomaj Salehi, son of Iran, afters struggling 753 days of merciless, unfair and with purpose and authorized assist ..at this time …was launched from Isfahan Central Jail.”
Handed a dying sentence in April for for his involvement within the protests in opposition to assaults and killing of ladies and activists throughout the theocratic Islamic Republic in 2022.
Repeatedly calling out the regime for its assault by itself residents in his rap lyrics and on social media, the 32-year-old Salehi has lengthy been essential of the who rule Iran. Snapped up in October 2022 and labeled as “one of many leaders of the riots” by pro-government media, Salehi was launched from jail final 12 months for a number of week. Charged with “making false claims and spreading lies” and moreover “corruption on Earth,” in accordance with Iranian media, Salehi was quickly rearrested and despatched again behind bars. The most recent incarceration by the authorities in Tehran got here after Salehi revealed in a video that he had been tortured and positioned in solitary confinement for 252 days.
Salehi’s arrest and detention attracted consideration from outdoors Iran, with the likes of the US State Division, former The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy star Nazanin Boniadi, the Recording Academy, Richard Branson, and others requesting his launch and condemning Iran’s rulers and their repression.
Every part took an sudden flip in June when the Iranian Supreme Courtroom overturned Salehi’s dying sentence with the opinion that there had been an “extra of authorized punishment.” That led to the matter being referred to a decrease court docket for resentencing and, in mid-August, Salehi’s legal professional Amir Raesian revealed his consumer had been totally acquitted.
Now Salehi is free.
PREVIOUSLY, APRIL 27 AM: A lawyer for Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi mentioned his consumer has been given a dying sentence for his involvement within the protests that swept Iran in 2022.
“An order for the execution of Toomaj Salehi has been issued,” Salehi’s lawyer Amir Raesian tweeted Wednesday.
The 32-year-old rapper has been detained, held in solitary confinement, and was allegedly tortured following his arrest.
A court docket in Isfahan has upheld the unique verdict of “corruption on earth” and issued the utmost punishment of dying, in accordance with Iranian pro-reform retailers Shargh and Entekhab.
State media mentioned Salehi’s sentence is topic for discount by a pardoning committee if he appeals once more.
Salehi has been essential of the Iranian regime and outspoken in opposition to the federal government in rap lyrics and on social media. He was briefly launched from jail final 12 months, however was rearrested despatched again to jail. The rearrest got here after he revealed in a video that he was tortured and positioned in solitary confinement for 252 days.
“We strongly condemn Toomaj Salehi’s dying sentence and the five-year sentence for Kurdish-Iranian rapper Saman Yasin. We name for his or her instant launch,” the USA’ Workplace of the Particular Envoy for Iran tweeted. “These are the most recent examples of the regime’s brutal abuse of its personal residents, disregard for human rights, and concern of the democratic change the Iranian individuals search.”
Bruce Haring contributed to this report
