Protests in Iran: New trial of rapper facing death penalty

Iran’s Supreme Court has ordered a new trial against the Kurdish rapper, the court said on Saturday. He faced the death penalty for participating in the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Iran has been rocked by protests sparked by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died after being arrested by police for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Authorities condemning the “riots” have arrested thousands of people and sentenced a dozen to death for participating in the protest movement.

“The appeal of the two defendants involved in the recent riots against the decision of the Revolutionary Court was accepted by the Supreme Court,” the judicial agency Mizan Online reported, referring to rapper Saman Seydi, aka Saman Yasin, and Mohammad Ghobadlu, who also face the death penalty.

But a few hours later, the agency quoted another Supreme Court statement saying that Ghobadlu’s appeal had been dismissed and his sentence upheld.

Attack on the police and the “war against God”

Mohammad Ghobadlu was accused of “assaulting police officers (…) resulting in the death of one of them.” According to Mizan Online, Saman Seydi was accused of “mohareb”, which means “war against God”.

Foreign human rights groups said two Iranians were sentenced to death, saying that Saman Seydi was accused of firing a pistol into the air three times during a protest.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had already scheduled a new trial for Mahan Sadrat, who was sentenced to death for pulling a knife during the protests, according to the official Irna news agency.

Iranian justice has so far sentenced 11 people to death and executed two in connection with the protests. Iranian officials say hundreds of people, including dozens of members of the security forces, were killed in the “riots”.