An Iranian court ruled today, Friday, to imprison singer Shervin Hajipour for at least three years after his song "Baray" (For) became the anthem of the protests that swept the country in late 2022. The AFP news agency reported that Hajipour, 26, announced in a message posted on his Instagram account today that he "was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of incitement and provoking riots aimed at undermining national security."
Hajipour clarified that he was also convicted and sentenced to eight months in prison for "propaganda against the political system" of the republic, although the judiciary or official media did not confirm the issuance of the verdict. The pop singer wrote and released the song "Baray" after the protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, who died at the age of 22 days after being detained by the morality police for not adhering to dress codes.
A clip of the song "Baray" went viral on social media before Hajipour was detained and subsequently released on bail. In February 2023, "Baray" received a special award at the Grammy Awards in the United States as "Best Song for Social Change."
