UN Experts Protest Death Sentence for Tomaj Salehi: He Should Be Released Immediately

A group of United Nations experts on Thursday, April 25, called for the immediate release of Tomaj Salehi, a protesting rapper and songwriter in Iran, and urged the authorities of the Islamic Republic to revoke his death sentence. In a statement, they emphasized that criticism of government policies, including through artistic expression, is protected under the right to freedom of expression and the right to participate in cultural life and should not be criminalized. The experts added that art should be allowed to critique, inspire, and push boundaries. The UN experts stated: 'We are concerned about the issuance of the death sentence and the mistreatment of Mr. Salehi, which appears to be solely due to his exercise of the right to artistic freedom of expression and creativity.' They described Salehi's protest songs as 'the embodiment of artistic freedom and cultural rights.' Amir Raeisian, one of Salehi's lawyers, reported on Wednesday, April 24, that Branch 1 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Isfahan 'in an unprecedented action, did not enforce the Supreme Court ruling regarding Salehi's 2022 case and, by deeming this ruling advisory and emphasizing the independence of the primary court, sentenced Tomaj Salehi to the maximum penalty of death for the charge of corruption on earth.' This protesting rapper is currently in Dashtgerd prison in Isfahan. The issuance of this artist's death sentence has sparked a wave of protests both inside and outside Iran, with social media users trending the hashtag 'Tomaj Salehi' globally. The UN experts, in their statement, referred to reports from Iran regarding the increasing prevalence of arrests of artists, activists, and journalists on charges such as 'spreading falsehoods' or 'propaganda against the regime,' expressing concern over the criminalization of legitimate artistic activities and the imposition of a range of dubious charges for these activities. They emphasized that under international law, the death penalty can only be applied to crimes that meet the threshold of 'the most serious crimes' and that this must be determined by following a legal process that guarantees a fair trial. The experts added: 'Everyone has the right to participate in the broad exchange of information and artistic expression, and to be involved in their cultural life and the development of their society through political interactions and the expression of opinions and dissent, without fear of imprisonment, torture, retaliation, and execution.' They have raised their concerns regarding Salehi's case with the authorities of the Islamic Republic on various occasions since his arrest. Javid Rahman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran; Alexandra Zantaki, the Special Rapporteur on cultural rights; Maurice Tidball-Binz, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial or arbitrary executions; Alice Jill Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression are among the experts who issued this statement. A group of Iranians gathered in front of the German Foreign Ministry in support of Tomaj Salehi, with Ben Mehran Aminian stating that Salehi's works symbolize the recent protest movement. Qasem Baadi stated that the ruling against Salehi reflects the helplessness of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic. Hossein Ahmadinejad emphasized that the death sentence for Salehi is based on revenge rather than legal grounds. Reminding Salehi's words: 'They say these people are worthless; these are you, me, and everyone.' Salehi's revelations of torture in prison led to his re-arrest and the issuance of the death sentence. The judiciary claims that Salehi is 'remorseful' and 'deserving of leniency'; however, his lawyer indicated that the death sentence might change. Widespread protests against Salehi's death sentence have emerged, with Gohar Eshghi stating that Khamenei's regime has resorted to extreme measures. The United States condemned the ruling against Salehi, calling it a horrific and widespread violation of human rights. Reactions to the issuance of the death sentence for Salehi include anger, protests, and solidarity for the release of the protesting rapper. A reaction from Yvan Ri to the issuance of the death sentence for Salehi described it as 'absurd and inhumane.'