Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, known for his support of anti-hijab protests in 2022, has been sentenced to death.
Salehi was arrested in October 2022 for backing the anti-hijab protests that erupted following the death of Amini while in custody.
In July 2023, Salehi received a six-year prison sentence on charges of “enmity against God” and “corruption on earth.”
On November 18, 2023, he was released on bail after the Supreme Court identified “flaws in the original sentence” and referred the case back to a lower court for review and a possible retrial.
However, Salehi was re-incarcerated less than two weeks later for allegedly discussing his torture in a video.
Salehi’s lawyer, Amir Raisian, stated that “Branch 1 of Isfahan Revolutionary Court… sentenced Toomaj Salehi to death on the charge of corruption on Earth.”
The Iranian judiciary has not yet confirmed the verdict, and Salehi has 20 days to appeal.
“We will definitely appeal this verdict,” his lawyer affirmed.
Amini’s death sparked nationwide protests, posing a significant challenge to Iran’s rulers since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1979.
Seven individuals have been executed in cases related to protest violence against security forces.
