Iran’s Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence for Rapper Toomaj Salehi in Protest-Related Case

Iran’s Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence for Rapper Backing Protests

In a surprising turn of events, Iran’s Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of popular rapper Toomaj Salehi, who was jailed for supporting nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. Salehi’s lawyer, Amir Raisian, confirmed the news on Saturday, stating that the court had ordered a retrial for the rapper.

Salehi, 33, was initially sentenced to death in April for the offense of “corruption on earth” and was also found guilty of other charges such as “assistance in sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the state, and calling for riots.” The rapper was arrested in October 2022 after publicly endorsing demonstrations that erupted in response to Amini’s death in police custody.

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was detained by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women. The protests that followed her death resulted in hundreds of casualties, including both civilians and security personnel. Thousands were also arrested as the government cracked down on what they deemed as foreign-instigated “riots.”

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Salehi’s death sentence was seen as a step towards preventing a grave judicial error. The court also ruled that Salehi’s previous sentence of six years and three months was unjust due to a lack of compliance with legal standards.

The protests and subsequent crackdown have highlighted the ongoing tensions in Iran over issues such as women’s rights and freedom of expression. The government has recently intensified efforts to enforce the strict dress code, with police launching campaigns to crack down on violators and shutting down establishments where the hijab rules were not followed.

The case of Toomaj Salehi and the broader context of protest-related arrests and executions in Iran underscore the complex challenges facing the country as it navigates between traditional values and calls for greater freedoms. The Supreme Court’s decision to grant Salehi a retrial offers a glimmer of hope for those advocating for justice and human rights in Iran.