Iranian rapper is Àë¹ð¡¤È½·èd to be hanged for supporting ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës over the death of a woman ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd for wearing an 'ÂÅÅö¤Ç¤Ê¤¤' hijab

  • Mahsa Amini died in police Êݸ¹´Î± in late 2022, Ͷȯ¤¹¤ëing ¹ñ²È¤Î Íð˽¡¿Ë½ÎϤò²Ã¤¨¤ë
  • Toomaj Salehi wrote songs ÈãȽŪ¤Ê of the À¯¸¢ and ¡Ä¤Ë½ÐÀʤ¹¤ëd demonstrations?

A popular?È¿ÂÎÀ©¼Ô Iranian rapper has been Àë¹ð¡¤È½·èd to death for supporting ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës over the death of a woman ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd for wearing an 'ÂÅÅö¤Ç¤Ê¤¤' hijab.

Toomaj Salehi, 33, will be hanged for ¹ðȯ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¤¹ðÁʡʤ¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿ÎÁ¶âs linked to a period of Á´¹ñŪ¤Ê ÉÔ°Â ¤Ë°ú¤­Â³¤¤¤Æ the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police Êݸ¹´Î± in 2022, Salehi's lawyer told?Iranian newspaper Sharq on Wednesday.

In public À¼ÌÀs, Salehi had vocalised support for the wave of 'Women, Life, Freedom' demonstrations, ¼çÍ×¤Ê to his ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë in October 2022.

He also ²òÊü¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd songs criticising the Iranian À¯¸¢ and ¼ûÍס¦Í׵᤹¤ëing greater liberties and women's ¸¢Íøs. Salehi had ÃÏ°Ì¡¤Ç¤Ì¿¤¹¤ëd pictures of himself ¡Ä¤Ë½ÐÀʤ¹¤ëing some of the ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës in support of Iranian-Kurd Mahsa Amini.

Amini died in September 2022 after ¸ºß ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd for ¶²¤é¤¯ ¿¯³²¤¹¤ë¡¿°ãÈ¿¤¹¤ëing strict hijab »ÙÇÛ¤¹¤ës. Demonstrations since have led to thousands of ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ës, ƱÍÍ¤Ë as Êó¹ð¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿²±Â¬s of ¹éÌä and death at the ¼êÅϤ¹s of the Iranian ÌÀ¸À¤¹¤ë¡¿¸øɽ¤¹¤ë.

Salehi was ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd in 2022 over his public À¼ÌÀs and music supporting demonstrations

Mahsa Amini, 22, poses in an undated photo. She died in police custody in September 2022

Mahsa Amini, 22, Ä󵯤¹¤ë¡¿¥Ý¡¼¥º¤ò¤È¤ës in an undated photo. She died in police Êݸ¹´Î± in September 2022

Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police, October 27. 2022

Iranians ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was ¹´Î±¤¹¤ëd by the morality police, October 27. 2022

People gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022 amid a wave of unrest triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody a month prior

People ½¸²ñ next to a dz¤ä¤¹ing motorcycle in the »ñËÜ¡¿¼óÅÔ Tehran on October 8, 2022 ¤Þ¤Ã¤¿¤ÀÃæ¤Ë a wave of É԰ Ͷȯ¤¹¤ë¡¿°ú¤­µ¯¤³¤¹d by the death of Mahsa Amini in police Êݸ¹´Î± a month »öÁ°¤Î

¤Ë°ú¤­Â³¤¤¤Æ his 2022 ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë, Salehi was Àë¹ð¡¤È½·èd last year to six years and three months in ·ºÌ³½ê¡¤¹´ÃÖ½ê for '±ø¿¦ on Earth', but Èò¤±¤ëd a death Àë¹ð¡¤È½·è ͽÄê to a ºÇ¹âºÛȽ½ê Ƚ·è¡¤ºÛÄê.

The ºÇ¹âºÛȽ½ê ÀßΩ¤¹¤ë '·ç´Ùs in the ½é¤á¤Î Àë¹ð¡¤È½·è' and returned the »öÎã¡¿´µ¼Ô to a ÃÏºÛ for re-examination.?

'»ÙŹ One of the ³×Ì¿¤Î Ë¡ÄºÛȽ½ê of (the central city of) Isfahan in an unprece dented move, did not »Ü¹Ô¤¹¤ë the ºÇ¹âºÛȽ½ê's Ƚ·è¡¤ºÛÄê ... and Àë¹ð¡¤È½·èd Salehi to the harshest ȳ,' his lawyer Amir Raisian told Sharq.

The ³×Ì¿¤Î Ë¡ÄºÛȽ½ê had ¡Ê·º»ö¡ËÈï¹ð Salehi of '±ç½õ in sedition, µÄ²ñ and collusion, ÀëÅÁ against the system and calling for ˽ưs',Raisian said.

Iranian »ÊË¡¤Î has not ³Îǧ¤¹¤ëd the Àë¹ð¡¤È½·è yet. Salehi has 20 days to ¹µÁÊ¡¤¾å¹ð the Ƚ·è¡¤ºÛÄê.

'We will definitely ¹µÁÊ¡¤¾å¹ð this Ƚ·è,' his lawyer said.?

Salehi has since ¿½¤·Î©¤Æ¤é¤ì¤¿¡¿µ¿¤ï¤·¤¤ ¹éÌä in ·ºÌ³½ê¡¤¹´ÃÖ½ê, ¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð Iran Wire.?

The rapper È¿Çý¤¹¤ëd the ¹ðÁÊ¡¤¹ðȯs against him during the ºÛȽ¡¤¸øȽ in March, ¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð Raisian.

The rapper's page on Twitter/X, managed by his ¿Æ²s, said at the time the only just Ƚ·è would be his ½½Ê¬¤Ê '̵ºáÊüÌÈ and ²òÊü¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë'.

'There was no ¹çˡŪ¤Ê and ÀµÅö²½¤¹¤ëd citation,' they ¡Ê¿ÍÌ¿¤Ê¤É¤ò¡ËÃ¥¤¦¡¤¼çÄ¥¤¹¤ëd.

In a social ¥Þ¥¹¥³¥ß ÃÏ°Ì¡¤Ç¤Ì¿¤¹¤ë »öÁ°¤Î to his ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë, Salehi wrote: 'You should know that I am not afraid of death, ´Æ¶Ø¡¤¹´ÃÖ, and ¹éÌä.?

'What I ¶²¤ì¤ë is to see women sell their ÃÄÂΡ¿»àÂÎs out of want and shut my mouth.?

'I am afraid of watching people bend into the trash Ãù¢½ê up to their waist [to find food] but remain silent; to see you ¡Ê·Ù´±¤Î¡Ë½ä²ó¶è°è¡¤¼õ»ý¤Á¶è°è a ϫƯ¼Ô and stay ÀŤ«¤Ê; to ¾Ú¸À¡¤¾Ú¿Í¡¿Ìܷ⤹¤ë your »¦¿Í¡¤ÂçÅö¤ê of a ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë¿Í and ¹éÌäing of his »ÊË¡¡Ê´±¡Ë-Áܤ·½Ð¤¹ing family, and shut up¡ Ä There's a sea of ·ì between you and me.'

Salehi was first ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd in September 2021 after his songs about ±ø¿¦, poverty, »à·º¼¹¹Ôs and ˽ÎÏ¡¿·ã¤·¤µ against protestors went viral.

Protesters hold flags and posters of Iranian hip-hop artist Toomaj Salehi following his arrest in 2021

¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë¿Ís »ý¤Ä¡¿¹´Î±¤¹¤ë ´ús and posters of Iranian hip-hop artist Toomaj Salehi ¤Ë°ú¤­Â³¤¤¤Æ his ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë in 2021

Salehi refuted the accusations against him during the trial in March, according to his lawyer

Salehi È¿Çý¤¹¤ëd the ¹ðÁÊ¡¤¹ðȯs against him during the ºÛȽ¡¤¸øȽ in March, ¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð his lawyer

A demonstrator raises his arms and makes the victory sign during a protest for Mahsa Amini, in Tehran on September 19, 2022

A ¥Ç¥â»²²Ã¼Ô¡¿¼Â±éÀëÅÁ¼Ô raises his Éð´ï and makes the victory Ä´°õ¤¹¤ë during a ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë for Mahsa Amini, in Tehran on September 19, 2022

Demonstrations around the world broke upon news of the death of Mahsa Amini?(Buenos Aires pictured in September 2022)

Demonstrations around the world broke upon news of the death of Mahsa Amini?(Buenos ¶õµ¤¡¿¸øɽ¤¹¤ës pictured in Septembe r 2022)

A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration on Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on September 20, 2022

A ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë¿Í »ý¤Ä¡¿¹´Î±¤¹¤ës a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration on Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on September 20, 2022

¹ñºÝ¥¢¥à¥Í¥¹¥Æ¥£ was ¤ÎÃæ¤Ç many ¸¢Íøs groups calling for his ²òÊü¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë at the time.

'Iran's Åö¶É must ¤¹¤°¤Ë and ̵¾ò·ï¤Ë ²òÊü¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë #TomajSalehi, a È¿ÂÎÀ©¼Ô ÈóÆñ¤¹¤ë artist ¹´Î±¤¹¤ëd ñÆÈ¤Ç for ±é½¬ing his ¸¢Íø to freedom of ɽ¸½.

'In his songs, he spoke out against repression, ±ø¿¦, poverty and impunity & called for accountability,' a À¼ÌÀ read.

¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës against the Iranian À¯¸¢ have ¶¯¤á¤ëd since the death of Mahsa Amini in police Êݸ¹´Î± in September 2022.

22-year-old Amini had recently been ǧ¤á¤ë to university and planned to become a lawyer when she was ¹´Î±¤¹¤ëd by police for ÂÅÅö¤Ç¤Ê¤¤ wearing of a headscarf.

She fell into a ºª¿ç after her ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë and died in ²ø¤·¤²¤Ê circumstances in hospital in Tehran on 16 September 2022.

The Islamic ¶¦Ï¹ñ's ¸ø¼°¤Î¡¿Ìò¿Ís told ¥Þ¥¹¥³¥ß that Amini ¶ì¤·¤àd a heart attack while ¹´Î±¤¹¤ëd by 'morality police', ÈÝÄꤹ¤ëing Êó¹ð¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿²±Â¬s she had been beaten.

ϳ¤ì¤ëd °åÎŤΠ¤¶¤Ã¤ÈÌܤòÄ̤¹s and ¼çÄ¥s of police brutality led ´Ñ»¡¼Ô¡¿ËµÄ°¼Ôs to believe she had died at the ¼êÅϤ¹s of the police.

Iran ¾Ú¸À¡¤¾Ú¿Í¡¿Ìܷ⤹¤ëd its largest ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ës since at least 2009 in ÊÖÅú to her death, ¤Þ¤Ã¤¿¤ÀÃæ¤Ë a ¾×ÆÍ¡¿ÉÔ°ìÃ× between a ÌÀ¸À¤¹¤ë¡¿¸øɽ¤¹¤ë tending ¤Ë¸þ¤«¤Ã¤Æ ¸·³Ê¤Ê¿Í ´Ñ»¡ of inferred ½¡¶µÅª¤Ê ˡΧ and a more ¼«Í³¼çµÁ¤Î Iranian community.

Iranian demonstrators taking to the streets of the capital Tehran on September 21, 2022

Iranian ¥Ç¥â»²²Ã¼Ô¡¿¼Â±éÀëÅÁ¼Ôs taking to the streets of the »ñËÜ¡¿¼óÅÔ Tehran on September 21, 2022

People take part in a protest in Trafalgar Square after marching through London on the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amin, on September 13, 2023 in London, England

People »²²Ã¤¹¤ë a ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë in Trafalgar Square after marching through London on the first ¼þǯµ­Ç°Æü of the death of Mahsa Amin, on September 13, 2023 in London, England

Iranian 'morality police' have since ³«»Ï¤¹¤ë¡¤ÂǤÁ¾å¤²¤ëd »þÀÞµ¯¤³¤ë ¡ÊÁªµó¤Ê¤É¤Î¡Ë±¿Æ°¤ò¤¹¤ës to ¸ýƬ¤Ç or violently ÂáÊá¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë and 're-educate' women ÀßΩ¤¹¤ë in °ãÈ¿ of µ¬Â§s in ÊÖÅú to changing dress codes and norms.

The µÁ̳Ū¤Ê wearing of the hijab was introduced by ºÇ¹â¤Î leader Ayatollah Khomeini on 7 March 1979, ¤¹¤°¤Ë after the Islamic ³×Ì¿.

The nation also ²Ä·è¤¹¤ë¡¦ºÎÂò¤¹¤ëd its 'morality police' around this time to µ¬À©¤¹¤ë behaviour after a period of secularisation through the Ãæ±û¤Î-20th century.

In the year to March 2014 - the last with data ÍøÍѤǤ­¤ë - patrols stopped nearly three million women for not wearing their hijab in line with µ¬Â§s.

In 2020, ¹ñºÝ¥¢¥à¥Í¥¹¥Æ¥£ Êó¹ð¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿²±Â¬d the horrors of Iranian ¿ÒÌä ºöά, which ´Þ¤àd pepper spraying genitals, pulling finger nails and stringing up ¼ü¿Ís in agonising positions.

Nine men have been ¿ë¹Ô¤¹¤ë¡¿È¯¸ú¤µ¤»¤ëd in ¹³µÄ¤¹¤ë-´Ø·¸¤Î¤¢¤ë »öÎã¡¿´µ¼Ôs ȼ¤¦¡¿´Ø¤ï¤ëing »¦¿Í¡¤ÂçÅö¤ê and other ˽ÎÏ¡¿·ã¤·¤µ against Iranian °ÂÁ´ ·³Ââs, ¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð The New Arab.?