Iranian authorities have acquitted protest rapper Toomaj Salehi of the most severe charges against him, including "corruption on earth," which had previously resulted in him getting the death sentence.
On Wednesday, Amir Raisian, Salehi's lawyer, announced that the 5th branch of Isfahan's Revolutionary Court had issued an acquittal in Salehi's 2022 case.
The decision overturns the death sentence that had been handed down to Salehi in April for the charge of "corruption on earth."
Raisian further stated that the court had suspended prosecution on several other charges and referred two additional accusations – "publishing lies" and "disruption of order" – to Criminal Court 2, citing lack of jurisdiction.
The latest hearing, held on Sunday, came after Iran's Supreme Court had overturned the initial verdict issued by the first branch of Isfahan's Revolutionary Court.
Mustafa Nili, another of Salehi's lawyers, confirmed the hearing on social media, noting it was held in the 5th branch of the Revolutionary Court as a concurrent branch.
Salehi was initially arrested in October 2022 after voicing support for the nationwide Woman, Life, Freedom protests that had erupted in September of that year.
He released songs criticizing the government and supporting the protests that demanded more freedom and women's rights.
He also posted pictures and videos of himself during the demonstrations.
In July 2023, a court sentenced the artist to six years and three months in prison for "corruption on Earth."
He was released on bail on November 18 last year after the Supreme Court, responding to an appeal, found "flaws in the original sentence" and returned the case to a lower court for reexamination and possible retrial.
Salehi was returned to jail less than two weeks later to face new charges after publicly discussing in a video his torture in prison.
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