Request for Appeal to the Supreme Court; Tomaj Salehi's Meeting with His Family Conditional on 'Filming'

Tomaj Salehi's lawyer states that an appeal has been filed with the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic regarding the case of this dissenting singer. According to Amir Reisiyaan, one day after the death sentence was communicated, this political prisoner’s phone calls were cut off, and visits were also interrupted 'because they were made conditional on filming.' Amir Reisiyaan also emphasized in an interview with the 'Modara' website published on Thursday, May 17, that since the issuance of the death sentence, Tomaj Salehi has had 'only one in-person meeting with his father' and 'the prison informed Tomaj's family that there is a judicial order for filming in-person meetings, but the Isfahan Revolutionary Court orally informed us that no such order has been issued.' He added: 'On Wednesday, May 16, the Isfahan Revolutionary Court also informed our colleague in this case for the second time that no such order has been issued.' According to this lawyer, 'one day after the announcement of the death sentence' for Tomaj Salehi by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Isfahan, he has had 'no phone contact with his family' since then, and before that, he 'only had the option to contact his father.' Mr. Reisiyaan emphasizes that Tomaj Salehi had previously faced 'restrictions even in contacting his lawyers,' and these limited contacts have been 'prohibited since the announcement of his death sentence, and he no longer has the option to contact his father.' Tomaj Salehi's lawyer stated that 'we have also protested this matter in writing, but to date, we have not received a response,' adding that his client 'currently has no possibility of in-person visits because he and his family have not accepted the condition of filming the meeting.' This lawyer also emphasized: 'The regulations of the prison organization and the criminal procedure law explicitly refer to the rights of prisoners to meet and contact their family members, and creating a prohibition in this regard is inconsistent with existing laws.' The issuance of a death sentence for Tomaj Salehi, a protest rap singer, has triggered a wave of domestic and international reactions. Among others, Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, condemned the ruling, stating: 'Tomaj has been unjustly sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic court. What is his crime? Demanding accountability from the Iranian government through music.' Furthermore, over 100 artists, musicians, and writers have called for the immediate cancellation of the death sentence and the release of Tomaj Salehi.