Iran reportedly hands down three years, additional jail terms to rap artist Tataloo
Pop singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo sentenced for disseminating ‘obscene content’; judiciary lists 3-year sentence for blasphemy, but says he also faces other charges
TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian court has sentenced popular singer and rap artist Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, known as Tataloo, to prison for disseminating “obscene content,” state media reported Sunday.
The underground musician, 36, had been living in Istanbul since 2018 before Turkish police handed him over to Iran in December of last year. He has been in detention in Iran since then.
His lawyer Elham Rahimifar said Tataloo was handed multiple “short and long” jail terms, without elaborating.
The sentences can be appealed, Rahimifar told state-run newspaper Jam-e Jam.
Later, the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan Online website said Tataloo was given a three-year sentence for “blasphemy.”
Mizan said he was facing other charges, without elaborating.
Under Iranian law, jail sentences run concurrently.
2nd appearance of Amir Tataloo in a court following his arrest in #Iran after #Turkish authorities handed him over to Islamic Republic. The famous pop singer has tattoos all over his and a mullah who is the “judge.” I guess tolerating the mullah is a kind of torture by itself. https://t.co/wkurRhCTKV pic.twitter.com/Vv8sIWf0m9
— Hossein Ghazanfari (@TehranWatcher) April 23, 2024
The trial against Tataloo began in March on charges of promoting “prostitution” and disseminating “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic of Iran and other “obscene content.”
The heavily tattooed singer, known for combining rap, pop, and R&B, was previously courted by conservative politicians as a way to reach young, liberal-minded Iranians.
He even held an awkward televised meeting in 2017 with ultra-conservative Ebrahim Raisi who is now Iran’s president.
In 2015, Tataloo published a song in support of Iran’s nuclear program as a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers was unraveling.