An Iranian court has sentenced popular singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, better known as Tataloo, to death on appeal after his conviction for blasphemy, according to local media reports on Sunday.
The Supreme Court reportedly upheld the prosecutor’s objection to a previous ruling that had sentenced the 37-year-old underground musician to five years in prison on charges including blasphemy, as reported by reformist newspaper Etemad. However, the verdict is not final, and Tataloo retains the option to appeal.
Tataloo, who had been living in Istanbul since 2018, was detained by Turkish authorities in December 2023 and subsequently handed over to Iran. He has been held in custody in Iran since that time.
In addition to the blasphemy charge, Tataloo had been sentenced to 10 years for allegedly promoting “prostitution.” He also faced accusations of spreading “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic and publishing “obscene content.”
Known for his heavily tattooed appearance and musical blend of rap, pop, and R&B, Tataloo had once been courted by conservative political figures in Iran as a means to connect with young, liberal-minded Iranians. In 2017, he even met with Iran’s ultra-conservative president Ebrahim Raisi, though the encounter was widely viewed as awkward. Raisi later died in a helicopter crash.
In 2015, Tataloo released a song in support of Iran’s nuclear program, which became a point of contention following the re-imposition of US sanctions during Donald Trump’s first presidency in 2018.
