Avoiding capital punishment for an Iranian hip-hop artist

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi faces a six-year imprisonment due to conviction on "corruption on Earth" offenses.

, and ASMedia

2025 September 3 . 2:41 PM

2 min read

Escaped Death Penalty for an Iranian Rapper

Avoiding capital punishment for an Iranian hip-hop artist

In a recent development, Toomaj Salehi, the Iranian rapper and outspoken critic of the government, has not been granted early release despite a ruling that acquitted him of charges related to "propagandistic activity against the government" and forming illegal groups. Salehi was initially arrested in October 2022 for his vocal support of protests following Mahsa Amini's death and sentenced to over six years for his activism [1].

The latest ruling, which did not include the death penalty, took place following Salehi's participation in the protests that stormed Iran in October 2022. His case has been a subject of international pressure and media coverage, contributing to the sparing of the death penalty in this latest ruling [2].

Salehi's legal proceedings and acquittal continue to highlight the complexities and controversies surrounding human rights and artistic expression in Iran. In an interview, Salehi described the Iranian authorities as a "mafia that is ready to kill the entire nation" [3]. The charges against Salehi also included "corruption on Earth," a charge that can carry the death penalty, although his lawyer previously stated he was cleared of this charge last year [4].

Activism surrounding Salehi and other political prisoners in Iran continues to be strong, with activists across various social media platforms demanding his release. However, the Iranian judicial system remains harsh toward dissent, with the crackdown on activists persisting, including numerous arrests, new prison sentences, and executions targeting protest participants and minorities [5].

The international and activist communities are vocal in calling for the release of political prisoners, including prominent activists like Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, signaling solidarity with all Iranian dissenters [6]. Despite global attention and protests, the Iranian regime has intensified punitive measures against activists and protest supporters rather than showing leniency [5].

As of August 2025, Salehi remains imprisoned, with no sign of early release. The ongoing struggle for freedom of speech and artistic expression in Iran continues to be a significant focus of human rights discussions.

References: 1. BBC News 2. Amnesty International 3. Al Jazeera 4. Human Rights Watch 5. Iran Human Rights 6. The Guardian