A dissident rapper who supported anti-government demonstrations in Iran has been charged with “corruption on Earth” and faces the possibility of the death penalty.
A judicial official stated that Toomaj Salehi, 31, was also accused of propagating lies, cooperating with a hostile government, and inciting violence.
The official refuted a human rights group’s claim that his trial had already commenced without his preferred attorney.
Mr. Salehi was detained a month ago after posting footage of himself protesting.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman jailed for allegedly violating Iran’s strict hijab regulations, died in police detention 10 weeks ago, sparking the uprising.
The Iranian government has ruthlessly suppressed the protests, which they have described as “riots” orchestrated by foreign adversaries.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 451 protestors have been killed and 18,170 have been imprisoned (HRANA). It has also recorded 60 security staff deaths.
In an interview with CBC News conducted only a few days before his detention on 30 October, Mr. Salehi stated that publishing films critical of the government were “difficult because you make yourself a target for regime forces.”
He further warned that Iranians were living “somewhere horrifying” and that they were “dealing with a mafia that is willing to slaughter the entire nation… to maintain its power, money, and weaponry.”
Beginning in November, Iranian official media released a video purporting to depict Mr. Salehi’s arrest in the central province of Isfahan.
In the video, a man identified as Salehi can be seen blindfolded and seated on the ground. In a trembling voice, he admits he “made a mistake” by telling security troops to flee in one of his protest-related recordings.
Article 19, an advocacy group for freedom of expression, criticized the “clearly coerced admissions” of rapper Toomaj Salehi.
On Sunday, the president of the judiciary in Isfahan announced that Mr. Salehi had been indicted on the accusation of “corruption on Earth”, the semi-official Isna news agency reported, adding that he was accused of the “publishing of lies on a big scale in a manner that has caused significant damage.”
Azadeh Babadi, Mr. Saleh’s London-based cousin, expressed concern to CBC that evidence would be fabricated to ensure his conviction.
On Twitter, fellow musicians and numerous Iranians shared similar concerns, causing the Persian hashtag of his name to trend.
Rapper Hichkas tweeted that the Islamic Republic was “trying to kill Toomaj,” while singer Mehdi Yarrahi commented, “They want to teach those who do not fear death a lesson with false accusations.”
The judiciary has declared that six unidentified individuals arrested in connection with the protests have been sentenced to die for “enmity against God” or “corruption on Earth” According to Amnesty International, in addition to Mr. Salehi, at least fifteen others, including the Kurdish artist Saman Yasin, have been charged with capital offenses.
Separately, Iranian media claimed on Sunday that several prominent personalities jailed for their participation in or support of the protests had been released on bond.
Among them was the well-known actress Hengameh Ghaziani, the activist and blogger Hossein Ronaghi, the former international footballer Voria Ghafouri, and the reformist former member of parliament Parvaneh Salahshouri.
Ms. Ghaziani was arrested earlier this month after posting a video of herself without a hijab in public.
On Sunday, there was no mention of Katayoun Riahi, another actress who was jailed at the same time for publishing a similar video.
In the meantime, the niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged those living outside of Iran to exert pressure on their governments to sever connections with Tehran.
Farideh Moradkhani, a well-known activist, stated in a video, “O free people, stand with us and demand that your governments stop backing this homicidal and child-killing regime.
Ms. Moradkhani’s brother in France shared the video after she was jailed in Tehran last week on undisclosed allegations.
Iran’s foreign ministry stated that it will not cooperate “in any way” with the UN Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission investigating suspected human rights violations during the crackdown.
