Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld a death sentence on blasphemy charges handed down to a pop singer whom Turkey had extradited at Tehran’s request, a judiciary spokesman said Saturday, Agence France-Presse reported.
Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, known as Tataloo, was extradited from Turkey in December 2023. He was initially handed down a five-year sentence for blasphemy by a Tehran court.
However, the Supreme Court overturned that verdict and referred the case to a different court, which later sentenced him to death.
“This ruling has now been confirmed and is ready for execution,” judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters.
He added that the singer’s lawyer has filed two requests, typically a retrial request and a clemency plea, which are currently under review.
“These requests have been formally registered and are under review,” Jahangir said, adding that a decision would be announced in due course.
Jahangir had first announced the death sentence in January, while noting that the verdict was not final at the time.
The heavily tattooed Iranian singer was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for “promoting corruption and prostitution” and spreading “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic.
He is currently serving that sentence.
Tataloo received backing from conservative politicians, including the late president Ebrahim Raisi, who sought to appeal to younger Iranians.
In 2015 he released a pro-nuclear deal anthem that was promoted by state media during the presidency of moderate Hassan Rouhani.
Tataloo had been living in İstanbul since 2018 before his arrest and extradition.
