Iranian Rapper Beaten, Kidnapped, Two Weeks After Prison Release
Toomaj Salehi, the Iranian rapper who was recently released from prison, has been rearrested, according to his page on X.
Toomaj Salehi, the Iranian rapper who was recently released from prison, has been rearrested, according to his page on X.
“The regime’s armed plainclothes agents abducted and detained” Salehi in the northern city of Babol in Mazandaran province, an update read, the page run by an appointed manager.
The 33-year-old rapper has been taken to an undisclosed location in the city.
According to the report, the regime agents refused to show any warrant and arrested Salehi without identifying themselves.
“He was beaten severely by plainclothes agents – which included beating Toomaj with the butt of Kalashnikov rifles,” the post said.
It also stressed that “the Islamic Republic bears the responsibility for his life.”
Less than two weeks ago, the popular figure was released from prison after over a year of imprisonment, including 252 days in solitary confinement, upon posting bail.
During his incarceration, he sustained injuries from torture, including severe swelling and bleeding in his eyes, a fractured tooth, and injured fingers.
In July, the rapper dodged a death sentence and was instead sentenced to over six years in prison. He was convicted of offenses related to “corruption on earth,” which includes violations of religious morality.
Salehi was arrested in November amid uprisings against the regime, during which he used his social media platforms to support popular protests.
Throughout his career, he has addressed critical issues such as corruption in the Islamic Republic, workers’ strikes, and the execution and imprisonment of regime opponents through his musical works.
