Iranian Pop Star Tataloo Sentenced to Death for “Blasphemy” (Reports)

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A court in Iran is said to have handed down a death sentence to the tattooed pop star Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, who goes by the name Tataloo, for blasphemy. The 37-year-old artist has been held in an Iranian prison since December 2023 following his extradition from Turkey.

Yesterday, I learned from multiple Iranian media outlets like Etemad and Jame Jam that Tataloo has been given a death sentence by Iran’s Supreme Court. This verdict was handed down after he was found guilty of disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad. Initially, Tataloo was serving a five-year prison term for various offenses, including blasphemy. However, his case was reopened upon the prosecutor’s request, leading to this severe punishment in a retrial.

The report indicated that Tataloo still had the option to appeal, as the verdict in question was not yet definitive. Similarly, Iranian court officials stated on Sunday that a conclusive decision regarding this case had not been reached yet.

Previously, this popular music artist, recognized for merging rap, pop, and R&B genres, had been accused of advocating for “prostitution” and faced a 10-year imprisonment. Additionally, charges were brought against them for expressing anti-government views and distributing content deemed as offensive.

Initially, Tataloo found himself in agreement with the Iranian government. As far back as 2015, he expressed support for Iran’s nuclear program through a song, but this alliance crumbled following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the deal. In 2017, Tataloo engaged in a televised conversation with the extremely conservative Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi; however, unfortunately, Raisi met an untimely end in a helicopter accident. Ever since 2018, Tataloo has been residing in Istanbul.

Title events unfold amidst escalating persecution in Iran, marked by judicial executions. The UN reported a staggering 901 executions in the year 2024 – the highest number in nearly a decade. As the fate of Tataloo hung in the balance, a tragic shooting took place at Iran’s Supreme Court in Tehran on Saturday, claiming the lives of two judges who dealt primarily with national security matters.

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2025-01-20 13:26