The musician has been detained since December 2023 and was also accused of disseminating “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic and publishing “obscene content”. However, there may still be an appeal of the penalty
An Iranian court has sentenced singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, known as Tataloo, to death after he was convicted of blasphemy.
“The Supreme Court accepted the prosecutor’s objection” to a previous five-year prison sentence for the crime of blasphemy. The case was reopened and this time “the defendant was sentenced to death for insulting the prophet”, referring to the prophet of Islam Muhammad, according to the newspaper citing local intelligence media. However, there may still be an appeal against the penalty.
The 37-year-old musician had lived in Istanbul since 2018. In December 2023, he was handed over by the Turkish police to Iran and has been detained since then.
Tataloo was also sentenced to 10 years for promoting “prostitution” and in other cases was accused of disseminating “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic and publishing “obscene content”.
Before going into exile, the singer, who has a tattooed body and is known for combining rap, pop and R&B, was harassed by conservative politicians who wanted to use him as a way to reach young, liberal Iranians. In 2015, Tataloo published a song in support of Iran’s nuclear program. In 2017, he even held a meeting with ultra-conservative Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who later died in a helicopter crash.
