After his arrest, well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi apologized for critical statements in a video. State media released a video on Wednesday showing the musician crouching blindfolded on the floor. “I made a mistake,” Salehi said in a broken voice. Human rights activists accuse Iran’s leaders of using torture to extract public apologies.
Salehi raps in his songs like “Mauseloch” against the Islamic Republic. Corruption is also a theme in his music. In his appearances on social media, the rapper showed solidarity with the systemic protests in the country early on.
Apparently he had been a thorn in the side of the regime for a long time. Salehi was arrested a year ago. At the time, he was released on bail.
On Salehi’s website, relatives reported that the man had been brutally tortured. Salehi’s uncle, who lives in Germany’s Ruhr area, expressed his concerns to TV channel WDR.
Iran has been protesting against the authoritarian style of government and the Islamic Republic for six weeks. The reason was the death of the young Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini. She died on September 16 in police custody. She had previously been arrested by the vice squad for allegedly violating Islamic dress codes.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
