Toomaj Salehi, a 32-year-old Iranian rapper known for his support of anti-government protests, has reportedly been sentenced to six years and three months in prison.
According to his lawyer, Roza Etemad-Ansari, Salehi was found guilty of “corruption on Earth,” but fortunately, he was spared from the death penalty. Iranian authorities have not made any official statements regarding the matter.
Salehi’s arrest followed widespread protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was detained for allegedly wearing an “improper” hijab. The specific details of Salehi’s charges and trial have not been disclosed in the available information.
Ms Etemad-Ansari said her client had been cleared of “insulting the Supreme Leader”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and “communicating with hostile governments”.
This charge, known as one of the most severe offenses in the country, carries the possibility of a death sentence and has historically been used against dissidents by the Islamic Republic.
Salehi spent months in solitary confinement at Dastgerd prison in central Iran before his sentencing.
The court sessions were closed to the public, a practice that has drawn criticism from human rights groups. His lawyer confirmed that he was transferred to the general section of the prison after the sentencing, which was also confirmed by supporters running Salehi’s Instagram page.
As one of the thousands of predominantly young Iranians who protested against the clerical establishment following the death of Mahsa Amini in September, Salehi shared clips of his songs in support of the movement.
The protests have been met with a violent crackdown by security forces, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators and the arrest of thousands. The authorities have portrayed the unrest as “riots” instigated by foreign agents.