TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Iranian court accepts rapper’s appeal against death sentence

Yasin accused of attempting to kill security forces during protests.

Reuters (The Jakarta Post)
-
Mon, December 26, 2022 Published on Dec. 26, 2022 Published on 2022-12-26T05:53:26+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Iranian court accepts rapper’s appeal against death sentence

I

ran's Supreme Court has accepted an appeal by rapper Saman Seydi Yasin against his death sentence even as it confirmed the same sentence against another protester, the judiciary said on Saturday.

Yasin, a Kurd who raps about inequality, oppression and unemployment, had been accused of attempting to kill security forces, setting a rubbish bin on fire and shooting three times into the air during antigovernment protests, charges which he denied.

Yasin's mother last week pleaded in a video for help to save her son.

"Where in the world have you seen a loved one's life is taken for a trash bin?" she said in the video posted on social media.

The court had initially said it had accepted the appeals of Yasin and another protester, but in a subsequent statement the judiciary's Mizan news agency said only Yasin's appeal had been accepted.

"The public relations of the Supreme Court of Iran has corrected its news: 'The appeal of Mohammad Qobadloo has not been accepted [...] Saman Seydi's appeal has been accepted by the Supreme Court," the agency said.

Explaining the decision in its original statement, it cited flaws in investigating the case and said it had been referred back to the court for re-examination.

Qobadloo had been charged with killing a police agent and injuring five others with his car during the protests.

Unrest erupted across Iran in mid-September after the death in custody of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police enforcing the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women.

Late on Saturday, the 100th day of the protests, videos posted on social media showed night demonstrations said to be in areas including the capital Tehran, the northeastern city of Mashhad, Karaj west of Tehran, and Sanandaj, the center of Kurdistan province in the northwest.

Dozens of protesters were seen braving rain and snow to chant slogans including "Death to the dictator" and "Death to [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei!"

Reuters could not immediately verify the videos.

Death penalty

Saturday's announcement follows the Supreme Court's suspension of protester Mahan Sadrat's death sentence 10 days ago. He had been charged with various alleged offences such as stabbing a security officer and setting fire to a motorcycle.

Iran hanged two protesters earlier this month: Mohsen Shekari, 23, who was accused of blocking a main road in September and wounding a member of the paramilitary Basij force with a knife, and Majid Reza Rahnavard, 23, who was accused of stabbing to death two Basij members and was publicly hanged from a construction crane.

Amnesty International called on the international community to pressure Iran to halt Qobadloo's execution and "not allow Iran’s machinery of death to claim another victim while [the] world’s attention is on celebrating the festive season".

Amnesty has said Iranian authorities are seeking the death penalty for at least 26 people in what it called "sham trials designed to intimidate those participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran".

It said all of those facing death sentences had been denied the right to adequate defense and access to lawyers of their choosing. Rights groups say defendants have instead to rely on state-appointed attorneys who do little to defend them.

Rights group HRANA said that, as of Friday, 506 protesters had been killed, including 69 minors. It said 66 members of the security forces had also been killed. As many as 18,516 protesters are believed to have been arrested, it said.

Officials have said that up to 300 people, including members of the security forces, had lost their lives in the unrest.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.