Iranian rapper Salehi has left prison after paying bail. The musician had expressed solidarity with the protests in the country – then he was arrested. An actress was also convicted.
After more than a year in prison, the well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi is free again. Salehi, who was imprisoned for his support of nationwide protests against the Iranian government, was released on bail on Saturday evening following a Supreme Court decision, the reform-oriented newspaper “Schargh” quoted the musician’s lawyer as saying. The court found “errors in the original verdict,” said lawyer Amir Raisian. The musician can also hope for a state pardon.
Salehi was arrested in October 2022 after he publicly supported the demonstrations following the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. In July, the rapper was sentenced to six years in prison for “corruption on earth.” The charge describes one of the most serious crimes in Iran and is punishable by the death penalty. Specifically, the musician was accused of spreading lies on the Internet and propaganda against the state and of inciting people to violence.
Jail sentence for Iranian actress
Meanwhile, actress Hannieh Tawassoli’s lawyer announced that the 44-year-old had been sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of 150 million rials (around 300 euros). Tawassoli was charged with “publishing false content with the intent to alarm the public,” according to her lawyer Marjam Kianersi. The actress, along with dozens of other actresses, had recently been banned from work for violating women’s dress codes.
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody in September 2022 sparked an unprecedented protest movement. The security forces cracked down on the protests. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands more arrested.