Photo: Hosseinronaghi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in Iran · Nationality Iranian — Culture / media / celebrities

Toomaj Salehi

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “Arrest following support for protests, convictions, death sentence overturned and release” and “Allegations of torture in detention, announced complaint and new arrest days after release”.

Are you concerned? Right of reply

Profile No. 0489 · Updated on 12 October 2026

6Documented controversies

11Sources

0Formal charge · all time

2Convictions

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

2024-2025

New 2024–2025 cases involving his website and song "Typhus" after death sentence overturned

No legal proceedings

After the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence, Salehi and his lawyers stated that new cases had been opened over content published on his website and a song entitled "Typhus". Following his release in December 2024, he was summoned again in 2025 concerning new musical productions.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 2

[1]
Columbia Global Freedom of ExpressionThe Case of Toomaj Salehi – Islamic Republic of IranHigh reliability
[2]
RudawIran summons rapper Toomaj Salehi over new musicMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

November 2024-February 2025

UN: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention finds his detention arbitrary and contrary to international law

Protagonist is the victim

Protagonist is the victim — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

In Opinion No. 53/2024, adopted at its 101st session in November 2024 and published by the UN on 19 February 2025, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Toomaj Salehi's detentions were arbitrary. The opinion identified violations relating in particular to the absence of sufficient legal grounds, the exercise of freedom of expression, fair trial guarantees and discrimination on grounds of political opinion. The Working Group called for an effective remedy, including reparation.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: UNWGAD_Opinion_53_2024_finds_arbitrary_detention_categories_I_II_III_V
Role of the person profiled: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 2

[1]
United Nations Digital LibraryOpinion No. 53/2024 concerning Toomaj Salehi (Islamic Republic of Iran)Official documentPrimary source
[2]
Columbia Global Freedom of ExpressionThe Case of Toomaj Salehi (Islamic Republic of Iran)High reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

19-20 June 2025

New arrest on Kish in June 2025, followed by release after several hours of questioning

Protagonist is the victim

Protagonist is the victim — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

On 19 June 2025, Toomaj Salehi's official account announced his arrest on Kish Island. The agency responsible for the arrest and his place of detention were not known at that time. The following day, his account announced that he had been released after several hours of questioning.

Role of the person profiled: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 2

[1]
IranWire Persianتوماج صالحی در کیش بازداشت شدMediaHigh reliability
[2]
IranWire Persianتوماج صالحی پس از چند ساعت بازجویی آزاد شدMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

2022-2024

Arrest following support for protests, convictions, death sentence overturned and release

Conviction

Toomaj Salehi was arrested in October 2022 following his active support for the protest movement triggered by Mahsa Amini's death. He was prosecuted for several national security offences and sentenced to death in April 2024 for "corruption on earth". The Supreme Court overturned the death sentence in June 2024. The main case linked to the demonstrations was subsequently closed, and he was released on 1 December 2024 after serving a separate one-year sentence for propaganda.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 3

[1]
Reuters / YahooIranian rapper Toomaj Salehi released after completing sentenceMediaHigh reliability
[2]
Associated PressIran releases Grammy-winning rapper Toomaj Salehi after completing prison termMediaHigh reliability
[3]
IranWire Persianتوماج صالحی از زندان آزاد شدMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

2023

Allegations of torture in detention, announced complaint and new arrest days after release

Allegations

Salehi stated that he had suffered serious violence and torture during detention, including fractures and many months in solitary confinement. Following his release on bail in November 2023, he published a video describing the ill-treatment and announced a complaint against intelligence officials in Isfahan. Twelve days later, he was arrested again.

State of the evidence: Alleged

Sources · 2

[1]
IranWire Persianشکایت توماج صالحی از مقام اطلاعات اصفهان به‌دلیل شکنجه و رفتارهای غیرقانونیMediaHigh reliability
[2]
The Washington PostIranian rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death, lawyer saysMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

2021-2022

First arrest in 2021 over anti-regime songs, followed by suspended sentence

Conviction

Before the 2022 demonstrations, Salehi had already been arrested in September 2021 after releasing songs and videos directly attacking the Islamic Republic and denouncing corruption, poverty and repression. He was released on bail and subsequently sentenced in January 2022 to six months' imprisonment suspended.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 1

[1]
United States Institute of Peace – The Iran PrimerArrest of Iran Rapper Stirs OutrageOfficial documentHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.