
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Court has sentenced popular singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo to death for alleged blasphemy, local media reported on Sunday, January 19.
In a significant decision, the court overturned the five-year imprisonment earlier handed down, reopened the case, and sentenced the singer also known as Tataloo to death for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.
The Supreme Court overturned a previous five-year prison sentence, reopening the case and ultimately imposing capital punishment for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
The 37-year-old singer was booked under Article 262 of the Islamic penal code by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
This verdict is still in the court and can still be appealed, which can give new hope to the underground musician who has been under continuous legal action since he was extradited from Istanbul to Iran in December 2023.
Tataloo is one of the most controversial figures in Iran, known for her tattoos and genre-blending music such as Rap, Pop, and R&B. She has faced multiple cases including prostitution, spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and publishing “obscene content. However despite this image, once Tataloo was courted by conservative politicians of Iran who craved his influence in reaching Iranian youth.
He also met late President Ebrahim Raisi on television in 2017, the move which was widely condemned.
In addition to composing music, Tataloo was active in politics. In 2015 Tataloo rereleased a song celebrating Iran’s nuclear program which became an international concern before the program was dismantled under American pressure in 2018.
The singer’s arrest and subsequent sentencing have received much attention within the country and across the globe. Human rights advocates have expressed their concern and questioned the harsh punishment and the general suppression of art in the Iranian regime.
Tataloo stays in detention while awaiting his attorneys to challenge the death penalty.
The sentencing occurs at a time when Iran is gradually raising the number of executions. It was estimated that the country executed 901 people in 2024, marking the highest record after nine years.