Iranian Grammy Winner Behind Bars: Singing for Protest Costs Freedom

An Iranian singer, who once celebrated a Grammy award presented by US First Lady Jill Biden, now faces the harsh reality of a more than three-year prison sentence. Shervin Hajipour, known for his anthem supporting the 2022 protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, shared his plight on Instagram. The post coincided with Iran's parliamentary election day. The judgment revealed charges of "propaganda against the system" and "encouraging people to protest," leading to a three-year, eight-month sentence. The court criticized him for insufficient remorse over the song's release. Alongside the prison term, a two-year travel ban was imposed, and he was mandated to compose a song highlighting "US crimes" while also promoting them online. Despite the adversity, Hajipour expressed gratitude to his legal team and agent for their unwavering support during this tumultuous time. On Friday, Shervin Hajipour said on his Instagram page that he had been sentenced to three years in prison for "inciting and provoking people to riot to disturb national security". He was also handed an eight-month sentence for "propaganda against the regime".