The Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who was sentenced to death in April for his support of anti-regime protests, has been released from prison by the Iranian authorities.
Salehi was sentenced by a revolutionary court in April for backing the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in September 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody.
He was arrested in October 2022 for making public statements in support of public protests. The popular rapper’s songs also condemned oppression and executions in Iran.
During his detention, Salehi claimed he had been subjected to torture, which included beatings that caused fractures to his hands and leg, and prolonged periods of solitary confinement.
In June 2024, Iran’s supreme court overturned his death sentence after sustained pressure for him to be freed, yet refused to release him.
Negin Niknaam, a spokesperson for the rapper, told the Guardian that neither Salehi nor his family had been told that he was to be freed.
“Toomaj himself didn’t know he was going to be released. They told him at 23.30 that he is to be released right away. His father was asleep and they took him home discreetly at 12am because they feared due to his popularity people would gather outside the prison.”
According to Arezou Eghbali Babadi, Salehi’s cousin, who is based in Belgium, news of his release had been greeted with cautious optimism by his family and supporters. “While we celebrate his freedom, we will never forget that he should have never spent even a moment in prison for simply demanding freedom and humanity,” she said.
“We will not forget the brutal torture he endured or the immense pressure the regime placed on all of us. We must absolutely remain vigilant to ensure Toomaj stays safe. And we will not forget the countless other freedom seekers still unjustly imprisoned, waiting for us to be their voice and to continue the fight for a free Iran.”
