165 Cultural and Civil Figures Protest Judicial Sentences Against Three Iranian Artists

165 artists, writers, and civil activists issued a statement protesting the judicial sentences against Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi, composers; and Hossein Rajabian, filmmaker, calling for their acquittal and a change in the Iranian government's approach towards cultural and artistic activists. The statement was signed by prominent figures such as Jafar Panahi, Mohsen Namjoo, Shahrnush Parsipour, Mehrangiz Kar, Asieh Amini, Shahin Najafi, Hannibal Youssef, members of the Abjiz group (Sofora and Melodi Safavi), the Indu group (Shadi Youssefian and Ardalan Payvar), Ervin Khachikian, Rana Mansour, and Hamed Nikpay. The statement notes that the condemnation of Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian, and Yousef Emadi in the preliminary court indicates that artists and cultural figures in Iran are experiencing "harder days than before." Mehdi Rajabian, a composer and founder of the Barg Music website, which focuses on alternative music, along with his brother Hossein Rajabian, a filmmaker, and Yousef Emadi, a composer, were sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of 20 million tomans each by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of "insulting sacred values" and "propaganda against the regime." However, the signatories of this statement believe that "the issuance of such sentences by judicial authorities is more credible concerning criminals than artists." The signatories emphasized that "while condemning any form of pressure and repression against artists, they demand the unconditional freedom of these three and an end to this method of dealing with artists." Mehdi and Hossein Rajabian and Yousef Emadi were arrested in October 2013, but are currently free on bail of 200 million tomans each. Their appeal court was held on December 22 in Branch 54 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, and the ruling has yet to be determined. During this time, international organizations such as Freemuse, the Music Freedom Defense Association, the PEN International, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, the European Composers and Songwriters Association, and the European Artists Council sent a letter to the head of the judiciary and other Iranian officials demanding the acquittal of these three artists. In this context, "18 years in prison" for two composers and an independent Iranian filmmaker Mustafa Azizi was sentenced to eight years in prison, and the PEN International has called for his release. International organizations have protested the "heavy" judicial sentence for two poets. 116 foreign poets: Mr. Khamenei, revoke the sentence of the two Iranian poets. The changing battleground of "proxy forces"; the war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. Trump: I hope there is no need for further action regarding Iran; they killed people indiscriminately. The shadow of war over Tehran; "Trump is looking for decisive military options against Iran." Trump says if the Islamic Republic attempts to assassinate him, "it will be wiped off the face of the earth." Trump emphasizes the "halt of executions in Iran": we do not know what will happen in the future. A senior U.S. official: the Trump administration is closely monitoring the case of Reza Valizadeh.