Iranian Pop Star Tataloo sentenced to death for blasphemy, verdict not final

An Iranian tribunal has allegedly issued a death sentence to the tattooed singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, widely recognized as Tataloo, on accusations of blasphemy. The 37-year-old artist has been detained in Iran since December 2023 after being extradited from Turkey. Various Iranian media sources, such as the newspapers Etemad and Jame Jam, announced on Sunday that Tataloo received a death sentence from Iran’s Supreme Court for being convicted of disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad.

Etemad stated that Tataloo was serving a five-year jail term for multiple offenses, including blasphemy. Nevertheless, his case was reopened at the request of the prosecutor, resulting in a retrial and the application of the death penalty. The reports highlighted that the verdict was not conclusive, with Tataloo maintaining the right to appeal. On Sunday, Iranian legal authorities also mentioned that a final decision on the case has not been reached yet.

Tataloo, recognized for his unique blend of rap, pop, and R&B, had earlier received a 10-year prison sentence for promoting “prostitution” and was accused of spreading anti-regime propaganda and releasing “obscene content.” The artist has not consistently opposed the Iranian government. In 2015, he published a song supporting Iran’s nuclear program, which subsequently fell apart after the Trump administration exited the agreement. In 2017, Tataloo participated in a televised gathering with the ultra-conservative Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who later perished in a helicopter accident.

Prior to his extradition, Tataloo lived in Istanbul from 2018. This situation arises in an environment of increased repression in Iran, highlighted by a rise in judicial executions. The United Nations announced a total of 901 executions in 2024 – the largest number documented in nine years.