Last July, reports from the Associated Press and other sources revealed that Toomaj had been sentenced to just over six years in prison for his involvement in protests sparked by the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amini, a 22-year-old woman, sparked protests under the banner of “Woman, Life, Freedom.” In one of his songs, Toomaj made a veiled reference to Amini’s death without directly naming her.
By April of this year, Toomaj’s lawyer Raesian disclosed that his client was facing a death sentence. In response, American lawmakers such as Young Kim and Adam Schiff introduced the TOOMAJ Act in May. This legislation, which can be viewed in full on Young Kim’s website, calls for sanctions against those involved in the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
Various artists, including Coldplay and Sting, have voiced their support for Toomaj. Coldplay, led by Chris Martin, and Sting were among the signatories of an open letter last month calling for Toomaj’s death sentence to be lifted immediately and unconditionally.
Most recently, Toomaj received the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent from the Human Rights Foundation in recognition of his courage and commitment to freedom of expression.