Iranian Rapper Salehi Prepares Complaint over Torture in Custody

Toomaj Salehi, a popular Iranian rapper who is serving a long-term prison term for supporting protests that rocked the country last year, is taking legal action over the torture he endured while in detention.

An October 28 post on Salehi's official account on the social media platform X, which is managed by his family, says his lawyer will file a complaint targeting the director of the General Intelligence Department of Isfahan province and the officers involved in his detention.

It says that the complaint has been prepared by Salehi in collaboration with his lawyer.

Salehi was violently arrested a year ago amid nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody. He had released songs that criticized the government and supported the protests demanding more freedoms and women's rights, and posted pictures and videos of himself during demonstrations.

After spending more than eight months in solitary confinement, the outspoken artist was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on the charge of "corruption on Earth," his lawyer said in July. 

Human rights groups have condemned the lack of due process of the judicial proceedings.

Salehi’s complaint cites "violent detention, physical abuse and torture that lasted 12 hours," which resulted in a broken leg, finger, fractured ribs, and severe bruises in both eyes.

The complaint says Salehi was denied medical treatment while in prison.

It also cites "illegal actions taken during the agents' raid on his residence without the presentation of a court order and identification, and the arrest of two residents without a judicial order,” as well as “the confiscation of his father's car without a court order."