Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi released from prison

Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi released from prison

Toomaj Salehi, an Iranian dissident rapper and activist, has now been released from prison, like his international legal team in a explanation announced on Monday. The 32-year-old had spent a total of 753 days in the DASTGERD HASTANTIFT in Isfahan.

background of his arrest

Salehi was arrested in October 2022 because he supported the nationwide protests “woman, life, freedom”. These protests broke out after the death of Mahsa Jhina Amini, a young Kurdish-Iranian woman who was arrested because of an inappropriate headscarf and died in police custody.

political messages in his music

As a voice of the anti-regime Dissenz in Iran, Salehi often used his music and social media posts to make political statements that criticized the repressive nature of the Iranian regime. During the protests, he asked the Iranians to demonstrate against the government and published videos on which he could be seen on the streets together with other demonstrators.

abuse and torture in prison

in October 2022 he sang in one of his songs: "It was someone crime to dance with waving hair, was a crime of being brave and open." Shortly after he was temporarily released from prison last year, Salehi published a video in which he described how he was tortured and kept in solitary confinement. He was then arrested again for false accusations and distribution of lies, as the Iranian news agency Mizan reported.

international reactions to his arrest

This year the United States sanctions against 12 Iranian officials due to human rights violations. One of the officials is responsible for the province in which Salehi was supposedly tortured.

judicial developments and release

In April Salehi was sentenced to death by a court in Isfahan for "spreading corruption on earth". But in June the Supreme Court of Iran opened this judgment. "The regime wanted to silence TOOMAJ with a death sentence, tortured him to break his mind, and now, after all the pain and injustice, they have released it," said his cousin Arezou Eghbali Babadi in an explanation.

International support for Salehi's release

Although Salehi's case was negotiated against Iranian dishes, his family received support from international lawyers. The Doughty Street Chambers resident in London and organizations such as Index on censorship and the human rights foundation reached complaints with the UN Human Council to contest.

a moment of celebration and vigilance

"This is a time of celebration: Our brave and brilliant client Toomaj Salehi is finally free," said Caoilfhionn Gallagher, lawyer at Doughty Street Chambers. However, it also emphasized the need for vigilance, since the pressure on the Iranian authorities must be maintained both within and outside of the country. "The world must not look away now: We have to make sure that Mr. Salehi remains free and never again exposed to the serious injuries to his rights."

political support goes on

This is also supported by Salehi's political sponsor in Europe, the German MP Ye-One Rhie. "We should stay careful and focus on his freedom and security," she wrote on X. Last month, the Iranian journalist and activist Kianoosh Sanjari took his own life after he had threatened to kill himself if four activists arrested by the Islamic Republic, including Salehi, were not released.

reunification with the family

Salehi returned to his family last night. "While we express joy and happiness, we will wait for the end of all processes and false accusations as well as to TOOMAJS complete and unconditional freedom."