Iranian rapper sentenced to death after deportation from Turkey | #rapper | #hiphop | #hacker | #court |

An Iranian court has sentenced popular rapper Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, known as Tataloo, to death for blasphemy after Turkish authorities deported him to Iran in late 2023 despite concerns that he could face persecution, The Guardian reported on Sunday, citing local media.

Iran’s Supreme Court accepted a prosecutor’s objection to a previous five-year prison sentence and instead imposed the death penalty on charges of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, according to the reformist newspaper Etemad on Sunday. The ruling is not final and can still be appealed.

Tataloo, an underground musician known for blending rap, pop and R&B, had been living in İstanbul since 2018. In December 2023 Turkish police detained and handed him over to Iranian authorities, reigniting fears that he would face an unfair trial and potential execution.

Iranian officials had previously sought his arrest through INTERPOL, accusing him of promoting drug use and spreading “corruption.” Turkish police initially cited “visa violations” as the reason for his detention, though they also acknowledged the existence of a Red Notice issued at the request of Iran.

Tataloo has been in custody in Iran since his deportation. In addition to the blasphemy charge, he was sentenced to 10 years for allegedly promoting “prostitution” and faced other charges related to disseminating “propaganda” against the Iranian government and publishing “obscene content.”

Despite his clashes with Iranian authorities, the 37-year-old musician had previously been courted by conservative politicians seeking to appeal to Iran’s youth. In 2017 he had a public meeting with then-presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi, who later became Iran’s president before dying in a helicopter crash.

Tataloo’s sentencing has sparked outrage among his supporters, who had previously rallied for his release when he was briefly detained in Turkey in 2020. At the time, he was facing possible deportation but was eventually freed. His fans and human rights organizations have long warned that returning him to Iran would put his life in danger.

The latest ruling against Tataloo adds to growing concerns over Iran’s use of the death penalty, particularly against dissidents and cultural figures accused of challenging the regime.