FALCON POWERS – Official media sources reported on Thursday that the Iranian judiciary has confirmed the issuance of a death sentence for the renowned Iranian rapper Tomaj Salehi, but noted that he has the right to seek a reduction in the punishment.
Amir Raeisian, Salehi’s lawyer, stated to the Shargh newspaper on Wednesday that an Iranian revolutionary court had sentenced his client to death on charges related to the unrest witnessed in the Islamic Republic in 2022 and 2023. Salehi was arrested in October 2022 after making public statements in support of the protests that swept the country, sparked by the death of the Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, who was 22 years old. Amini died after being detained by the morality police for wearing an “improper” hijab.
The media administration of the judicial authority confirmed on Thursday that Salehi has been sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth,” clarifying that the accused has the right to request a reduction in the penalty due to “expressing remorse and cooperating with the authorities.”
Salehi has 20 days to appeal the verdict before the Supreme Court. The media administration of the judicial authority stated that if the verdict is upheld, Salehi’s case will be reviewed by the Judiciary’s Clemency Committee, which may reduce the punishment.
In 2023, the Iranian Supreme Court rejected the charges of “corruption on earth” against Salehi, a crime punishable by death under Iranian law. However, the court’s decision was not implemented, which Salehi’s lawyer described as an “unprecedented procedure” by the judiciary.
The hashtag #FreeTomaj has spread on social media platforms, such as X, with users demanding his immediate release.
