Tomaj Salehi's Court Hearing Behind Closed Doors; German MP: 'What is the Iranian Regime Afraid Of?'

An informed source told the Persian section of Voice of America that the second court session of Tomaj Salehi, the rapper, was held behind closed doors on Sunday morning, July 2. Yiwen Ri, a member of the German Parliament and one of Tomaj Salehi's political sponsors, tweeted a repost of the news regarding the secretive second court session, asking: 'What is the Iranian regime afraid of?' He further warned that Tomaj's verdict could be announced at any moment, and therefore, awareness about him must be raised and silence must not be maintained. The secretive nature of the second court session comes as the U.S. State Department last week pointed out the non-public nature of the first court session and Salehi's lack of access to a lawyer, stating that it is 'carefully' monitoring the situation of this imprisoned protester. On Saturday, July 3, the department expressed deep concern about the 'torture' of Tomaj Salehi during his detention and his 'urgent need for medical care,' calling for an end to the 'regime's violent behavior towards Tomaj.' Meanwhile, the news agency Hrana, a human rights activist organization in Iran, recently reported on Tomaj Salehi's injuries resulting from beatings during his detention and the lack of medical attention he received. Tomaj Salehi, who was arrested last November during nationwide protests and deprived of access to his chosen lawyer for two months, faces charges including 'corruption on earth,' 'propaganda against the regime,' and 'inciting people to murder and unrest.' The U.S. State Department described the situation of this imprisoned protester as 'the latest example of the regime's ongoing repression aimed at silencing and intimidating dissenters' and called on Iranian officials to 'release Tomaj Salehi and all political prisoners.' Additionally, Tomaj Salehi's political sponsors had previously reported that the first court session of this imprisoned rapper was held behind closed doors on Sunday, June 18. Members of the parliaments of Germany, Austria, and Italy, who are among Tomaj Salehi's political sponsors, noted in a joint statement that this non-public court was held 'without official announcement' and 'without media coverage.' The U.S. State Department, in its tweet last week, warned about the continued 'violent repression of peaceful protesters' by 'Iran's leadership,' emphasizing that 'the world is watching.' The department stated: 'The United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to hold Iranian officials accountable for human rights.'