Iranian hip-hop artist Toomaj Salehi, known for his blistering conviction about the Islamic Revolution’s “failure”, has been charged with “corruption on earth” by a court and could face a death sentence.
On Saturday, Iran executed two men convicted of allegedly killing a paramilitary volunteer during a demonstration in November. The men, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini, were identified by Iran’s judiciary and are the fourth known men to have been executed since nationwide protests began in September.
The protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who was detained in a psychiatric hospital in Tehran. Salehi was among the thousands who attended demonstrations for Amini, and filmed himself at the protests, inspiring demonstrators to “battle” the country’s ruling clerical establishment.
The charge of “corruption on earth” is used by authorities to point to a broad range of offenses that threaten social and political well-being and carries a possible death sentence. It is unclear when Salehi’s trial will take place.
The nationwide protests have been a challenge to the country’s theocracy, and the executions of the four men are seen as a way to halt the demonstrations. It remains to be seen what the outcome of Salehi’s trial will be.
Key takeaways:
- Iranian hip-hop artist Toomaj Salehi has been charged with “corruption on earth” and could face a death sentence.
- The charge of “corruption on earth” is used by authorities to point to a broad range of offenses that threaten social and political well-being and carries a possible death sentence.
- The executions of four men are seen as a way to halt the nationwide protests, and it remains to be seen what the outcome of Salehi’s trial will be.
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