Iranian official news agencies reported on Sunday the arrest of popular rapper Toomaj Salehi, whose songs supported Iranian protests and worldwide sit-ins against the regime in the past few years.
The semiofficial ISNA news agency said Salehi was arrested on Sunday while he was trying to cross a western border. The rapper’s twitter account confirmed the arrest. However, it rebuked the Iranian authorities’ claims about the place of his detention.
His family affirmed that Salehi never intended to leave the country and was arrested in the south-western Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, where he is originally from.
Later, the Prosecutor of Isfahan said Salehi was arrested on charges of “propaganda against the regime, cooperating with hostile governments and forming an unlicensed group with the intent of destabilizing the country’s security.”
The rapper was also accused of playing a leading role in inciting unrest and calling for and encouraging recent riots in the Isfahan province and Shahin Shahr city.
The Tasnim news agency, which is seen as an IRGC mouthpiece, reported the detention of Toomaj Salehi, and said the musician is accused of inciting violence during the ongoing protests.
“Officially, Salehi was arrested trying to flee the country,” the news agency wrote.
Salehi had accused the ruling regime of attacking a shrine in the city of Shiraz, killing 15 people. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Last January, a court sentenced Salehi to six months in prison and fined him. The verdict was suspended for six months.
In his songs, Salehi criticizes the Iranian regime’s repression and injustice.
The rapper’s arrest follows the detention last month of Iranian singer Shervin Hajjipour, after he released a song in support of protests over the death of Mahsa Amini went viral.
Hajjipour rose to fame for the song “Baraye,” “For,” in which he put together messages posted on Twitter about the reasons for protests.
Iran's pop singer Mehdi Yarrahi quickly condemned the way Iranian news outlets covered Salehi’s arrest.
“In this case, they may arrest us, torture us, and kill us all in Iran,” he added.
