Toomaj Salehi was arrested again in Iran, while rapper Tataloo awaits execution as the government intensifies its crackdown on outspoken hip-hop artists.
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Rapper Toomaj Salehi, a controversial rapper in Iran, was arrested by Iranian security forces on Thursday (June 19), marking the latest move by the dictatorial rulers to voices of dissidents in hip-hop and elsewhere.
According to his representative, his location and condition remain unknown.
The 33-year-old rapper, known for his outspoken lyrics and political scorn, was released in December after a one-year prison sentence.
The case has been closed and all remaining charges are removed by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court.
Toomaj Salehi has previously faced death penalty for “corruption on earth” for appeals for innocence.
Salehi’s re-arrest comes after protests broke out after protests broke out in police custody in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.
During the peak of these demonstrations, he was detained in the village of Gerd Bisheh in October 2022.
His music, often criticizing Iran’s leadership, made him the target of the authorities. He was repeatedly detained for his lyricism and civilization.
Meanwhile, another high-profile artist faces a worse fate.
Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo (known as Tatalu) was sentenced to death by an Iranian court for allegedly “insulting the Prophet Mohammed”.
The ruling comes after prosecutors filed a five-year prison sentence.
Tataloo, who has been aligned with Iran’s tough politicians and supports the country’s nuclear ambitions, has lived in exile in Istanbul since 2018.
Turkish authorities detained him in December 2023 for visa violations and extraditioned him to Iran.
Once famous for its genre fusion music, Tataloo is now facing execution. He was also convicted of promoting prostitution, disseminating publicity and publishing obscene materials.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in total before adding the death penalty.
The arrests and sentences were due to a sharp escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran on June 13, direct military strikes and hundreds of injuries, raising concerns about wider regional wars.
Israel vowed to remove Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and Tehran retaliated against missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.
President Donald Trump brought the United States into the conflict after he ordered the bombing of three nuclear facilities in Iran on Saturday (June 21).
The United States and Israel coordinated to launch Operation Hammer, citing Iran’s core ambitions pose a threat to both countries
