Phone Calls of Tomaj Salehi Cut Off After His Message on Boycotting Elections

Following the release of a message by Tomaj Salehi, a imprisoned protest rapper in Iran, regarding the 'boycott of elections', the authorities at the Dashtgerd prison in Isfahan cut off his phone calls. The page attributed to Tomaj Salehi on the social media platform 'X' on Friday, March 2, described this action as 'continuation of harassment and ongoing violation of the rights' of this protest rapper and stated that 'we currently have no information about his status.' According to Tomaj Salehi's account, the Ministry of Intelligence issued the order to cut off this singer's phone calls. Hours earlier, Tomaj Salehi had stated on X that the result of the 'mock elections' was 'obvious' and wrote: 'The result of this 'mock election' is clear before the announcement, both the approximate single-digit participation figures and the fraudulent statistics that the Ministry of Interior is going to announce.' He further emphasized: 'The point is that this time, the fraudulent statistics and displays are even ineffective among the regime's supporters.' Tomaj Salehi, who was released on November 18 after serving more than a year in prison, was arrested again 12 days later on December 9 and sentenced to one year in prison. Another court hearing is scheduled for March 17 to try this protest rapper again. In recent days, coinciding with the government's increasing efforts to promote participation in the elections, the hashtag 'Election Circus' has gone viral, and many users on social media have emphasized the necessity of not participating in it. From 'no vote' to 'election circus'; widespread negative reactions to the 2024 elections. The campaign to boycott the 'Election Circus' has gained traction; users: we will stay home and witness the regime's last breaths. Another court hearing for Tomaj Salehi will be held on March 17. Jason Brodsky told Voice of America: elections in the Islamic Republic are a show that Khamenei writes the end of. Reactions to the arrest of 'Vafadar'; Mehran Aminian: artists cannot be limited with 'arrest and detention'. Tomaj Salehi's one-year prison sentence has been confirmed. Tomaj Salehi's lawyer: the temporary detention order 'exceeding one year' is illegal. Release of confiscated vehicles during government and religious occasions; a lawyer in Iran: 'You were wrong' to confiscate them. Reactions to the elections; Prince Reza Pahlavi: the Islamic Republic's 'Election Circus' is a 'great deception.'