Iran Has Jailed This Popular Activist Rapper For Singing About The Mahsa Amini Protests
Toomaj Salehi had criticized the Iranian government in his songs and music videos, which went viral.
Toomaj Salehi, a popular activist rapper, has been jailed for six years and three months for singing about the Mahsa Amini protests.
The 32-year-old was arrested in October 2022 during the mass anti-government protests that broke out after the death of Amini.
Salehi had criticized the Iranian government in his songs and music videos, which went viral.
In his last music video, he appeared to reference Amini and the crackdown on protesters, rapping, “Someone’s crime was dancing with her hair in the wind. Someone’s crime was that he or she was brave and criticized.”
“44 years of your government. It’s the year of failure,” he rapped.
22-year-old Amini died in September 2022 after she was arrested by so-called “morality police” for allegedly breaking Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her death sparked huge anti-government protests, which were met with a brutal crackdown from the government.
On Monday July 10, after 253 days in solitary confinement, Salehi was found guilty of “corruption on earth”, which could lead to the death sentence.
However, he was given a reduced sentence of six years and three months, according to his lawyer.
Iran has executed at least 7 people in connection with the protests, and many others remain at risk of being executed, according to Amnesty International.
