Mehdi Yarrahi's Case Goes to Court on Charges of 'Encouraging Corruption and Inciting Immoral Crimes'

Mehdi Yarrahi's defense attorney states that the case against this protesting singer has been sent to Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court with charges including 'encouraging people to corruption and inciting individuals to immoral crimes.' Mehdi Yarrahi, a well-known pop singer, was arrested on September 6, just before the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, following the release of his latest protest song. Mustafa Nili, the attorney, provided details about Yarrahi's case on Tuesday, September 27, via the 'X' messaging platform. According to Nili, the case against Yarrahi, who was arrested after releasing his latest song titled 'Rousarito,' has been referred to Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Based on the indictment issued for Yarrahi, he is accused of 'propaganda against the regime, encouraging people to corruption, creating and disseminating content contrary to public morals and decency, and inciting individuals to immoral crimes through computer systems.' Yarrahi's attorney added, 'We are waiting for the court to set a hearing date.' This protesting artist, after the announcement of the legal case against him for releasing the song 'Rousarito' while using the hashtag 'Women, Life, Freedom,' tweeted, 'Don't cry, I am the nightmare of this judge.' Before his arrest, Yarrahi emphasized that as the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death approaches, he wanted to be 'the voice of Izeh' and continuously speak about the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's murder. Following his arrest, political activist Amir Hossein Balali was also detained, and Iranian judicial officials informed his lawyer that his case is 'joint' with Yarrahi's and will be handled 'together.' Saeed Khalili, Balali's defense attorney, reported on Sunday that while they had said 'bail had been issued' for his client since the first day of detention, despite the 'family's readiness' to post bail, after '20 days of illegal detention,' he was released on September 26 after posting a bail of two billion tomans. The American PEN Association condemned the arrest of Mehdi Yarrahi and the Iranian authorities' actions against him, describing it as indicative of the 'brutal suppression of freedom of expression by the Iranian regime.'