Fatwa was issued against writer Salman Rushdie, now Iranian rapper faces death sentence for...

In what may be called yet another example of muzzling the voice of dissent by any authoritative regime, Iranian rapper Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo is facing a death sentence for criticizing the government of his country in his songs. Popularly known as Tataloo, the rapper has been convicted on charges of blasphemy and "insulting Islamic sanctities". An Iranian court sentenced him to the death penalty in May after he was found guilty of blasphemy in January this year.

Tataloo backs Ebrahim Raisi

Though the 37-year-old singer fell out of the government, he was once close to the power corridor in the Islamic Republic. He supported hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi in the 2017 presidential election. The rapper also appeared with him in a television show. Raisi lost the polls and Hassan Rouhani was elected president of Iran.

Tataloo becomes voice of dissent

This was the time when the songs of Tataloo reverberated with the Islamic Republic’s youth. As the opposition to the country’s government was splintered and largely remained leaderless, he challenged Iran’s theocracy and the hierarchy of the system through his songs. Soon his music became popular and he became a star. 

His songs became more popular after the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini and the subsequent wave of nationwide protests. Amini was arrested for not wearing the hijab properly, she was allegedly thrashed in police custody where she breathed her last. The deep-rooted anger and frustration of the masses erupted and nationwide protests were held. Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo's songs were played at many of that demonstration and he emerged as a hero of the youth. 

Maghsoudloo emerges as hero of masses

Maghsoudloo started his music career in 2003 singing songs of many genres including rap, pop, rhythm-and-blues and rock with Farsi lyrics. His first album hit the stands in 2011 and polarised the audiences. As all the concerts are controlled by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Tataloo never performed publicly in Iran.