Shervin Hajipour says he was sentenced to more than three years in prison for “inciting people to riot.”
An Iranian singer whose song became an anthem during the mass protests of 2022 has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for “inciting and provoking riots to disrupt national security,” the 26-year-old artist posted on his Instagram account. Friday.
Shervin Hajipour won Grammy Awards for the song Baraye (“Stop”) which supported protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini was detained for allegedly not wearing the appropriate hijab (headscarf), which is mandatory in the country.
It was not immediately clear when the verdict was issued and it was not reported elsewhere. Iranian state media also did not report the sentence.
But Hajipour published it on the same day that Iran held its parliamentary elections. Vote counting is underway in the first election since nationwide protests.
Hajipour thanked his lawyers and agent for their support.
“I will not mention the name of the judge and the prosecutor so that they are not insulted and threatened, because insults and threats are not in the religion of humanity,” he wrote. “Finally, one day we will understand each other. Until then.”
The singer had already served a prison sentence, but was free on bail awaiting the court decision. It was unclear whether he had already reported to serve his sentence. Under Iranian law, prison sentences run concurrently, meaning Hajipour would serve three years behind bars.
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not respond to a request for comment.
“Baraye” was played at a White House celebration in March 2023 for Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
A month earlier, US First Lady Jill Biden awarded Hajipour a special Grammy for best song for social change, calling the tune a “powerful and poetic call for freedom and women's rights.”
Amini's death sparked months-long protests in which hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of members of the security forces, and thousands more were arrested.
Hajipour's sentencing comes as other activists, journalists and artists have faced arrests, imprisonment and harassment since the protests. Among those imprisoned is Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi.
