As Reactions Continue to the Death Sentence Issued for Tomaj Salehi, His Lawyer Emphasizes His Acquittal from the Charge of 'Corruption on Earth'

Mostafa Nili, Tomaj Salehi's lawyer, announced that during last year's proceedings, Tomaj was acquitted of the charge of 'corruption on earth' and 'was included in the leader's pardon.' Nili's statements come in response to the death sentence issued for this protesting singer, which has sparked many reactions in Iran and international circles in recent days. In an interview with Etemad newspaper, Salehi's lawyer stated, 'The judges argue that the charge of corruption on earth is among the exceptions of the early release and leader's pardon directive. Some specific cases were excluded in the leader's pardon directive.' Nevertheless, Nili insists that 'in last year's proceedings, Tomaj was acquitted of corruption on earth.' According to this lawyer, Tomaj Salehi's case was based on 'the protest events of 2022,' and another case was opened against him related to his interview after being released on bail. This lawyer emphasized that 'a one-year sentence was issued against Tomaj for this interview, and there is no other issue in this regard.' Legal experts believe that the death sentence issued for this protesting artist is not within legal frameworks and does not align with the charges brought against him, and this sentence was 'deliberately issued' to 'instill fear in society.' In recent days, following the news of the death sentence for Tomaj Salehi, a wave of domestic and international protests has emerged. Many artists and prominent figures have called for the release of this singer by sharing visual and audio messages or other diverse materials, including images or songs of Tomaj Salehi on their social media accounts. Many activists and professional organizations have also condemned this ruling. A number of teacher activists in Alborz province issued a statement condemning this ruling, stating, 'The disgraceful file of the government is becoming darker every day.' The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also expressed concern on Friday, May 7, regarding the violent suppression of Iranian women by the Islamic Republic under strict mandatory hijab laws, while simultaneously calling for the unconditional release of Tomaj Salehi, the imprisoned protesting rapper. This body also demanded the release of all individuals imprisoned by the Islamic Republic for expressing their opinions, beliefs, and artistic expression. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has urged the Islamic Republic to halt the implementation of the death penalty. In recent days, in response to the news of the death sentence for this imprisoned artist, the UN fact-finding mission, the UN special rapporteur monitoring the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic, and several international organizations separately condemned the issuance of this sentence and called for the immediate and unconditional release of Tomaj Salehi. Tomaj Salehi, an Iranian rapper opposing the Islamic Republic, was arrested in early November 2022 in connection with nationwide protests by government forces. He was released on bail a year later but was re-arrested a few days later and sent to prison in Isfahan. On April 30, 2024, he was tried in the first branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Isfahan on charges of 'conspiracy and collusion, and complicity in rebellion,' and his death sentence was communicated to his lawyers on May 5. Gohar Eshghi: 'Khamenei wants to silence our voices.'