Shervin Hajipour: I Have Been Summoned to Prison to Serve My Sentence

Shervin Hajipour, the protesting singer, announced that he must introduce himself to prison in a few days to serve his sentence of 3 years and 8 months for producing the song "Baraye." In a video he published on his Instagram page, he mentioned that he received a notification to report to prison and stated that his charge was "inciting people to murder and war," questioning which line of his song incited violence. He expressed hope that his prison sentence would be overturned in the appeals court, but that did not happen, and he is currently trying to seek a retrial and pursue other legal avenues to avoid going to prison. Hajipour expressed that he misses his fans and is eager to release music for them, noting that his inactivity is due to the initial court ruling against him for the song "Baraye." He emphasized that he presented his critique in the most peaceful and civil manner possible through the song. Hajipour stated he has no intention of leaving Iran, as he wants to be with his family, especially his sick father, and he loves Iran. He mentioned that he does not wish to return to prison and is upset about being treated as a criminal despite not committing a crime, and he has not been able to release any music in the past two years. He requested that officials at least allow him to keep a piece of Iran for himself and has no other requests or expectations from them. Hajipour does not expect to perform on stage, have his works broadcasted on domestic platforms or state media, or earn income from music; he only wants to create music in his room and publish it like other underground artists. He concluded by thanking all his supporters, stating that he does not expect anything from anyone for creating "Baraye" and is not satisfied that others should bear costs because of him. Hajipour's situation has drawn widespread criticism on social media. Journalist Javad Heydarian wrote on social media that Hajipour stated his sentence of 3 years and 8 months for the song "Baraye" was upheld in the appeals court, but he was informed that his travel ban had been lifted. In his artistic response, while wanting his prison sentence overturned, he said, "If you have any intentions, know that I will not leave Iran." Another journalist, Mohammad Aghazadeh, remarked that Hajipour has become the voice of ordinary life that is denied to them, and the price he pays is for all political prisoners and reflects our shame for our helplessness. Another user noted that the campaign for votes by the Medicalian headquarters used Hajipour's song "Baraye" to gather votes, but now he faces prison. During the early days of the nationwide protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom' in 2022, Shervin Hajipour compiled some of the protesters' wishes reflected in Twitter messages and performed them in the form of a song called "Baraye." The music video quickly garnered around 40 million views. After the release of "Baraye," Hajipour was detained for a while, and the video was removed from his Instagram page. Nevertheless, the song "Baraye" was recognized by the Grammy Academy as the unofficial anthem of the protesters against the Iranian government and earned Hajipour the award for "Song for Social Change." Time magazine also named Shervin Hajipour as one of the "100 Most Influential People of 2023." The Human Rights Campaign in Iran noted that during the protests and the widespread repression of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, a significant number of independent artists in Iran were threatened, arrested, and sentenced in sham and opaque courts without due process. A critical cleric stated that people prefer Hajipour's song over "Salam Farmandeh" and that it is not forced. Hajipour's song "Baraye" was sung by citizens in Karaj during the Chaharshanbe Suri festival. Hajipour's lawyer criticized the government for using the song "Baraye" for propaganda purposes. Hajipour addressed Ameneh-Sadat Zibihpour, accusing her of fueling rumors for personal gain. The reactions to the ruling against Hajipour continue, with a lawyer describing it as a "blind revenge."