An Iranian singer who won a Grammy presented by US first lady Jill Biden has been sentenced to more than three years in prison over his anthem supporting the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
Shervin Hajipour wrote on Instagram on Friday, the same day that Iran held its parliamentary election, what appeared to be part of the judgement against him.
It said Hajipour received a three-year, eight-month sentence on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “encouraging people to protest.”
Photo: AP
The court issued its sentence in part because it found he had not properly expressed regret over publishing the song.
It also imposed a two-year travel ban and ordered him to create a song about “US crimes,” and make posts about those crimes online.
Hajipour’s song Baraye, or “For” in English, begins with: “For dancing in the streets,” “for the fear we feel when we kiss.”
The lyrics list reasons that young Iranians posted online for why they had protested against Iran’s ruling theocracy after Amini’s death in September 2022, allegedly for not wearing her mandated headscarf to the liking of security forces.
Meanwhile, unofficial reports yesterday estimated turnout in Iran’s parliamentary election, seen as a test of the clerical establishment’s legitimacy, at about 40 percent, which would be the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
With heavyweight moderates and conservatives staying out and reformists calling Friday’s election unfree and unfair, the contest was essentially among hardliners and low-key conservatives who proclaim loyalty to Islamic revolutionary ideals.
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