Cannot bear torture

Iranian rapper in custody pleads for execution

The arrested Iranian rapper Saman Yasin had actually successfully appealed against the death sentence imposed on him. However, the musician has now called on the Islamic Republic's judiciary to kill him after all: the physical and psychological torture in prison is no longer bearable for him. 

Prisoner pleads: "Bring it to an end"
But one year after the successful appeal, the rapper has apparently lost the courage to face life. BBC Persia published a letter from Yasin in which he pleads: "Please impose my death sentence. I have no objections and agree. Take my life, bring it to an end." His "mental, emotional and physical problems" that he is suffering in custody should be ended, he says.

The lyrics of his songs were about inequality, oppression and unemployment. This was enough for the Iranian regime to sentence the rapper to death. The specific accusation was: "war against God". What falls under this offense is not defined in more detail. The prosecution also accused him of attempting to murder a security guard. He is also alleged to have set fire to a dustbin - the musician denies this. Yasin finally lodged an appeal against the draconian sentence - he hoped that his case would then be retried. 

Yasin, who is of Kurdish origin, was a vocal critic of the Iranian regime during the protests that flared up in 2022. He disseminated his opinions on social media channels.

This is not the first time that allegations of torture have been made against the Iranian authorities: Another rapper, Toomaj Salehi, reported being tortured during his imprisonment. Yasin's industry colleague was even released for a short time - however, he was sentenced to prison again at the beginning of the year. 

Women's rights activist Mahsa Amini died in 2022 during an arrest by the vice squad. This also triggered a nationwide wave of protests. Hundreds of protesters have since been killed and tens of thousands more arrested.