CNN —Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi had his death sentence overturned by the Iranian Supreme Court this week in what his lawyers have deemed a victory for human rights in Iran.
After being briefly released from prison in 2023, Salehi was re-arrested for “making false claims and spreading lies,” according to Iranian judiciary news agency Mizan.
On Saturday, his lawyer Amir Raesian broke the news of the reversal in a post on X, saying that the Iranian Supreme Court had “avoided irreparable judicial error” and overturned Salehi’s death sentence this week.
The Supreme Court found that the death sentence delivered to Salehi was excessive and failed to comply with Iranian law,” the group said in a statement Saturday.
London-based human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher who is the international counsel for the Salehi family said it was “not enough” that his life had been “spared” by the Iranian authorities.
Persons:
Toomaj Salehi, Salehi, Mahsa, Amir Raesian, “, Iran’s, Chambers, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Gallagher, ” Gallagher, Toomaj, ” “, Richard Branson, ”, Jemimah Steinfeld, ” Claudia Bennett
Organizations:
CNN, Iranian, Mizan, UN, Academy, Human Rights Foundation
Locations:
Iranian, Iran, Isfahan, London’s, London, British