Continued Calls to Halt the Imprisonment of Shervin Hajipour

Several legal experts and political activists have reacted to the confirmation of Shervin Hajipour's prison sentence, calling on Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the judiciary, to stop the execution of this sentence. Ali Mojtahedzadeh, a lawyer, stated on Sunday, August 14, that Hajipour's sentence "violates some legal statements" and mentioned that Ejei "can intervene through Article 477 to prevent the execution of the sentence." Mojtahedzadeh further expressed that there is little likelihood that the sentence against this protesting singer will be executed and urged the judiciary head to appoint judges in similar cases who can protect the judicial integrity of the country against domestic and foreign public opinion. According to Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code, if the head of the judiciary deems a definitive ruling from any judicial authority to be contrary to Sharia, he can authorize a retrial and send the case to the Supreme Court. Shervin Hajipour, the protesting singer, was sentenced to prison and additional penalties for creating and performing the song "Baraye". On Tuesday, August 9, he announced that the 3 years and 8 months prison sentence issued against him had been upheld by the appeals court. This protesting singer stated in a video on social media that he must report to prison for the execution of the sentence within a few days. The news sparked widespread reactions on social media, with supporters of Hajipour both inside and outside the country calling for the judge's ruling against him to be overturned. Kamabiz Nourouzi, a legal expert, also commented that in this case, "the public and legal experts" are not convinced that "law and justice are being served," stating on Friday, August 12, that "it is legally unacceptable for a singer to be imprisoned for a simple song." Nourouzi also noted that Mohseni Ejei could prevent the execution of this sentence, saying, "In such circumstances, a comprehensive reconsideration of criminal policy must occur so that artists and civil activists do not end up in prison and their every statement and action is not treated as a crime." Following these reactions, even some political activists close to the Iranian government have warned that executing Hajipour's prison sentence would have "negative repercussions in society." Abbas Abdi, a political activist, noted on Sunday that the judiciary is responsible for other cases that society "does not accept" and called for addressing the "deep issues of this institution." Shervin Hajipour's song "Baraye" reflects the concerns of the Iranian people, including economic problems, class disparities, social pressures, and environmental issues, inspired by posts from Iranian users on social media. In 2022, after the release of this song amid the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, he was detained for a period and released on bail on October 4 of the same year. Hajipour was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court for charges such as "propaganda against the regime" and "inciting and provoking people to riots with the intent to disrupt national security" to three years of imprisonment. He was also sentenced to other penalties, including "creating music against the crimes of America" and "prohibition of leaving the country." This occurred while Hajipour's single won the Grammy Award for Best Song in the category of "Song for Social Change" at the 65th Grammy Awards.