Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi released from prison months after court overturned death sentence

2 December, 2024

Toomaj Salehi

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been released from prison, months after the court overturned his death sentence.

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.

Toomaj Salehi was also known for using his songs to criticise Iran’s leaders for their crackdowns on protests. He was sentenced to death in April on the capital offence of “corruption on earth” after making statements in support of anti-government protests in 2022.

Now, in an Instagram post shared earlier today (December 2), Salehi announced on social media that he has been freed from prison. “Salehi, son of Iran, was released from Dastgerd Prison today, after suffering 753 days of cruel, unjust, and unjustified re-imprisonment without any reason or documented legal support,” its translated caption reads.

Advocacy group Index on Censorship, which had been working with the rapper’s family to overturn the sentence, shared the news on X/Twitter, calling Soomaj “a brave and brilliant person who should never have been imprisoned to begin with”. A full statement by the group will be released tomorrow (December 3).

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.

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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