The Ayatollah regime ordered that a dissident Iranian rapper be sentenced to death for taking a stand against the Islamist government. Toomaj Salehi was a participant in the 2022 protests against the regime in the wake of the death of Mahsa Amini.

Toomaj was arrested and prosecuted for actively participating in the demonstrations that shook Iran in 2022. He was then sentenced to six years in prison for his activism against the Ayatollah regime. In addition to being an activist, Toomaj wrote and produced protest rap songs.

However, a review by the Iranian Supreme Court saved him from prison and he only served one year. However, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, he was arrested again in November 2023.

The reason for his return to prison was that he accused the Iranian government in several videos of torturing him in prison. Toomaj Salehi publically discussed how the regime had repeatedly violated his rights during more than 252 days of detention and isolation. For these reasons, the Iranian Islamic Justice again accused him of propaganda against the state, a crime that is punishable by the death penalty. This Wednesday, his sentence was confirmed by the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan, as confirmed on social media by several sources close to the judicial process.

United Nations condemns the Islamist regime's sentence

The rapper's case has received attention from the international community. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights requested the immediate release of the rapper, based on its assessment of the situation.

"Criticism of government policy, including through artistic expression is protected under the rights to freedom of expression and the right to take part in cultural life. It must not be criminalised," said the United Nations in a statement. "Art must be allowed to criticise, to provoke, to push the boundaries in any society."

"We are alarmed by the imposition of the death sentence and the alleged ill-treatment of Mr. Salehi which appears to be related solely to the exercise of his right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity," they added about the case.