Iran court overturns death sentence of rapper Toomaj Salehi – now facing retrial

Iran’s Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of rapper Toomaj Salehi, his lawyer has said.

The rapper was sentenced in April on the capital offence of “corruption on earth” after making statements in support of anti-government protests in 2022.

He was also found guilty of “assistance in sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the state and calling for riots”.

“Salehi’s death sentence was overturned,” Salehi’s lawyer, Amir Raisian, shared in a statement on X, in which he confirmed that the Supreme Court had ordered a retrial.

The rapper was arrested in October 2022 after backing demonstrations that broke out in the wake of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which occurred under suspicious circumstances while in police custody.

He was also known for using his songs to criticise Iran’s leaders for their crackdowns on protests.

Salehi’s death sentence sparked outcry from human rights organisations and high-profile figures around the world.

More than 100 figures from the world of culture and entertainment signed a statement calling for his release, including Coldplay, Sting and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix.

The statement was published by advocacy group Index on Censorship, which has been working with the rapper’s family and has since welcomed the decision to overturn the sentence.

However, the group has said (per BBC) that it’s “critical that his rights are properly respected”, adding of the retrial: “Even a shorter period of imprisonment would be an injustice.”

They continued: “Salehi has done nothing other than to call for his, and other Iranians’, fundamental rights to be respected.”

Salehi had spent time in prison last year and was released on bail, before describing being “severely tortured” and spending 252 days in solitary confinement following his initial arrest, according to a statement published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

He was arrested again two weeks later in December 2023, when he was charged with “corruption on earth”.

Amnesty International claimed his trial was “grossly unfair, and authorities dismissed his complaints of torture, including electric shocks, death threats and repeated beatings resulting in bone fractures and vision impairment in one eye”.

A joint statement from Salehi’s cousin Arezou Eghbali Babadi and friend Negin Niknaam,  (via The Guardian) read: “The international community’s solidarity and support have played a crucial role in the release of Toomaj Salehi.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed in any way to this outcome. However, we must not lose sight of the unlawful and oppressive rules that continue to exert severe psychological pressure on freedom seekers, their families, and society as a whole in Iran.

“While we urge for Toomaj’s unconditional freedom and look forward to seeing him as soon as possible, we cannot forget the injustices we faced during this period.”

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