Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been released on bail from Isfahan prison, reports the Iranian human rights group Hengaw. Salehi, an outspoken critic of the government through his music, had been detained in connection with his support for the anti-government protests that swept across Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini.
Salehi was freed late Saturday after the supreme court of Iran overturned a previous six-year prison sentence for charges including “corruption on earth.” This term is often used in Iran to denote serious offenses against the Islamic Republic. The details of his bail have not been disclosed, and his case is now referred back to a lower court for review.
The 33-year-old artist endured a year and 21 days behind bars, with 252 of those days in solitary confinement, a period marked by physical injuries, as mentioned on his official social media page on X. In a poignant reflection shared on his official X page, Salehi commented on the nature of his release, saying, “I thought the saddest situation was being alone under the tortures of time, now I understand that being released alone (when others are still detained) is even more bitter.”
Salehi’s release comes amid ongoing unrest and a harsh crackdown on protesters by Iranian authorities. His songs, which resonate with the protests’ message, have made him a symbol of resistance for many. As the situation in Iran remains tense, the international community continues to monitor the developments and the treatment of protesters and political detainees.
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