Iran Sentences Famous Singer Tataloo To Death For Blasphemy; Case Reopened To Increase Punishment For 'Insulting Prophet'

Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, a well-known singer from Iran who goes by the name Tataloo, has been sentenced to death by an Iranian court following his conviction in a blasphemy case.

According to reports from local media on Sunday (19 January), the Iranian Supreme Court agreed with the prosecutor's opposition to a prior five-year prison sentence for crimes including blasphemy.

The reformist newspaper Etemad reported online that the court noted, "The case was reopened, and this time the defendant was sentenced to death for insulting the prophet", referring to Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

The report further stated that the judgment is not conclusive and remains open to appeal. The underground musician had resided in Istanbul since 2018 until he was extradited to Iran by Turkish police in December 2023.

Since that time, the 37-year-old artist has remained in Iranian custody. He was formerly pursued by conservative politicians as a way to connect with young Iranians with liberal views as he famed for blending rap, pop, and R&B.

Tataloo was also given a 10-year sentence for endorsing "prostitution". Additionally, he faced charges for spreading "propaganda" against the Islamic Republic and for the publication of "obscene content".

In 2017, Tataloo had an uncomfortable televised encounter with the extremely conservative Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, who subsequently perished in a helicopter accident.

In 2015, Tataloo released a song endorsing Iran's nuclear program, which subsequently fell apart in 2018 amidst Donald Trump's first term as US president.