CNN
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“Someone’s fault is that her hair was blowing in the wind. Someone’s fault is that he was brave and straightforward.”
These lyrics can cost Iranian rap artist Toomaj Salehi his life. In any other country he could have easily rapped about the daily problems facing his people with no repercussions.
However, Salehi’s fate is quite different as he lives in Iran.
The 32-year-old underground dissident rapper was violently arrested along with two of his friends last Saturday and is now facing criminal charges worth the death penalty, according to Iranian state media.
In Iran, as many as 14,000 people, including journalists, activists, lawyers and educators, have been arrested during protests that have rocked the country since September, according to a senior UN official.
The uproar was caused by Death of Masa AminiA 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman died on September 16 after being detained by the “morality police” and taken to a “re-education center” for not wearing the hijab properly.
Salehi’s uncle, Egbar Egbari, told CNN in an interview, “At 2 a.m. I was woken up by a call from a friend of Mr. Toomaji’s who said ‘our location was leaked’.” “Since then, we’ve been concerned about what happened to Toomaj.”
Eghbali said he learned later that morning through Salehi’s friends that about 50 people had stormed his nephew’s residence in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces in southwestern Iran.
State-run IRNA, citing Isfahan’s judiciary, said the rapper was accused of “propaganda against the government, collaborating with hostile governments, and forming illegal groups aimed at creating unrest in the country.” Said there was
Salehi’s uncle said he had information that his nephew was currently being held in a jail in the city of Isfahan and that he had been tortured. is a person.
“We still don’t know anything about Toomaj’s health. The family has been trying hard to hear his voice, but no one has given us any information about Toomaj.” He said. “I don’t even know if Toomaj and his friends are still alive.”
Salehi’s friends, boxing champion Mohammad Reza Nikratl and kickboxer Najaf Abu Ali, who were arrested with him over the weekend, have also not been heard from since, Egbari said.
“The defendant played a key role in inciting, luring and encouraging riots in the province of Isfahan and the city of Shahin Shahr,” said Seyed Mohammad Moussabian, spokesman for the Justice of Isfahan province, according to IRNA.
After his arrest, the state-run news agency Young Journalists Club (YJC) released a short video clip of Salehi believed to be blindfolded. Salehi appears to be under duress to express his remorse for the statements he made on his social media.
Salehi’s uncle was adamant that the man in the video was not his nephew, adding that the government had a political purpose in releasing the short clip. Egbari also rejects government claims that his nephew was on the run at the time of his arrest.
“Absolutely not,” said Egbari. “Where Toomaj lived or where we are in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces, there is basically no way to get to the border. One would not believe such a claim.”
Since nationwide protests began in mid-September, Salehi, who said IRNA was detained as early as September 2021, has called on Iranians to protest against the government.
“No one has a different color of blood,” Salehi posted on Instagram. “In this bloody and sad heaven, remember our wondrous union. Do not allow them to create division between us.”
Salehi, himself of ethnic Bakhtiari background, has long rapped about Iran’s multi-ethnic make-up and encouraged Iranians of different ethnic backgrounds to unite.
“Stay with us, we’ve been by your side for years,” Salehi raps on his song “Meydoone jang” (which translates to “battlefield”).
“Being rebellious is not enough. We have revolutionary roots. Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmen, Mazandari, Sistani, Balti, Talysh, Tatars, Azeri. People, Kurds, Gilakis, Lorians, Persians, Qashqais, we are the union of the rivers and the seas.”
Days before his arrest, Salehi posted a video on Instagram of himself with protesters in the street. Since then, his fans, Iranians in the diaspora, musicians and activists have called for his release.
“A lot of rappers have come out and supported him,” Iranian rapper, songwriter and activist Erfan Peyder told CNN. It encouraged people to get out there and speak up, and made people think, ‘If he’s willing to be out there and he’s not scared, we shouldn’t be doing it.
Payder said Salehi had recently shared a message with a trusted friend that he planned to be released if arrested. “You will move forward according to my strategy. You are my most trusted person,” the message is written.
“The first priority is students and workers, cover all calls to protest, do not support any political party or group, and do not write much about prisoners until their conditions deteriorate and they have no say. Focus on offense, not defense.”
Security forces arrested several musicians and artists, including two other rappers involved in the protest, Emad Gavidel of Rasht and Kurdish rapper Saman Yassin of Kermanshah.
Gavidel was released on bail and in an Instagram post described how he was tortured and had his teeth broken. He was subjected to severe mental and physical torture and charged with a sham trial that could lead to the death penalty.
“Toomaj’s mother was a political prisoner,” Salehi’s uncle, who lives in Germany, told CNN. “She died a long time ago… her sister would have been Toomaj’s voice if she were still alive. Same Toomaj voice as mine. Same as many people on the street. [in Iran] It’s Toomaji’s voice. ”
Since Mahsa Amini died in custody, Protesters across Iran A collection of dissatisfaction with the government. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities are stepping up efforts to end the uprising. About 1,000 people have been charged in Tehran province for their involvement in the protests, state news agency IRNA reported last week.
Quoting Tehran Chief Justice Ali Al-Qassimea, IRNA said the accused’s trial will be heard in public over the next few days.
Iranian media said last weekend that trials of several demonstrators had begun the previous week.