HRANA: Tomaj Salehi Still Deprived of Phone Calls, Visits, and Medical Care

The news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran announced on Saturday that Tomaj Salehi, the protest rapper, has recently been banned from visits and phone calls, and despite his poor physical condition, he has been deprived of appropriate medical care. According to HRANA, on November 20, a source close to the family of this prisoner, who is serving his sentence without adherence to the principle of separation of crimes in the Dastgerd prison in Isfahan, added that Tomaj has been deprived of phone calls and visits with family members and his lawyer for the past three days at the order of prison officials, and he is not allowed to receive any items from outside the prison and has also been deprived of engaging in sports activities in prison. According to this report, Tomaj Salehi was beaten during interrogation a few months after his arrest, resulting in injuries to his right leg, left fingers, and right eye. He continues to suffer from the inflicted injuries and has been deprived of appropriate medical care and transfer to a hospital, which has raised concerns among his family and close ones. According to HRANA, this political prisoner, who is currently in Ward 1 (financial ward) of Dastgerd prison in Isfahan without adherence to the principle of separation of crimes, was transferred from Ward 2 to Ward 1 about a month ago following a confrontation with his fellow inmates. Tomaj Salehi was sentenced to six years and three months in prison, a travel ban, prohibition from producing and performing music, and two years of mandatory attendance in behavior management and skill courses by the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan in July of this year. He was arrested in early November 2021 in connection with nationwide protests by security forces. Government news agencies claimed that his arrest occurred while he was attempting to illegally cross the western borders of the country, a claim that was denied by his relatives. Tomaj Salehi is a protest rapper and a resident of Shahin Shahr in Isfahan province, who was previously sentenced to six months in prison and a fine for charges of 'insulting the leadership and propaganda against the regime' in a prior case in 2021.