Almost a month ago, the Iranian rapper was arrested in his home country of Iran. Now he is threatened with being charged as an “enemy of God” and even face the death penalty.
The reproach
As is well known, the mullah regime in Iran does not tolerate any criticism of the state. Any objection is interpreted as a rebellion against God and his representatives and punished accordingly. Freedom rights that we take for granted, such as freedom of expression or sexual orientation, are often punished with death in Iran. Shortly before his arrest, Salehi had shown solidarity with demonstrators critical of the regime and harshly criticized the regime. In his music and an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC, he compared the Iranian government to the mafia. This comparison could now cost him dearly. The rapper is apparently currently being tried behind closed doors. The accusation is that he is an enemy of God. According to observers, one cannot assume that the negotiations will be fair. Friends and family assume the worst - a death sentence.
Family accuses regime of torture
In his last video, which went viral on the Internet, the rapper had already foreseen his arrest and indictment. He should be right. Shortly thereafter, the state program released a video showing Salehi blindfolded and apologizing for his alleged crimes. The rapper's family accuses the government of using torture to force the apology.
15,000 people threatened with the death penalty
Salehi's story touches many people around the world. 115,000 people have signed a petition calling for the immediate release of the rapper and 15,000 other political prisoners in Iran who are currently facing the death penalty. Most recently, the majority of political representatives in Iran voted for their execution. Prominent Germans, such as Cool Savas, also support the petition and call for solidarity with the detainees.
The trigger for the current protests in Iran is the violent death of the 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody. State officials had asked the family to cover up the true cause of death - the young woman was beaten to death with batons. The family refused and made the crime public. Tens of thousands of people support them in their protest against those responsible. The government is trying to suppress the protests at all costs and apparently will stop at nothing. Around 15,000 people have been arrested during the protests. 300 people were killed.
Source: KBE, hiphop.de, instagram.com/jilagola