Iranian Singer Sherwin Gets 3-Year Prison Term

News Desk
Islamabad: Iranian pop singer Sherwin Hajipour, aged 26, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in composing and performing the song “Baraye,” which became an anthem during mass protests following the death of Mehsa Amini.
The protests erupted in September 2022 after Amini died in custody of the moral police, with her arrest stemming from wearing an ‘improper hijab’.
According to a report by Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, Sherwin Hajipour posted “Baraye” on social media platforms during the nationwide protests.
He confirmed his sentencing via an Instagram post on February 2, stating that he was convicted of “undermining national security and inciting people to riot,” for which he received a three-year sentence, and “propaganda against the government,” for which he received an additional eight months.
Iran’s state media has not issued a statement regarding the verdict, and the timing of the sentencing remains unclear. Under Iranian law, when individuals receive multiple prison sentences, they serve them concurrently, meaning Hajipour will spend three years in prison.
Hajipour gained international recognition when his song “Baraye” was played during the White House celebration of Nowruz in March 2023. Nowruz marks the beginning of the Iranian calendar’s new year and is celebrated across Iran with joyous festivities.
Recently, US First Lady Jill Biden awarded Sherwin Hajipour a special Grammy Award for Best Song for Social Change, lauding it as a powerful message for freedom and women’s rights. Hajipour himself was briefly arrested during the protests that followed Mehsa Amini’s death.
In a related incident, an Iranian court previously sentenced another pop singer to a year in prison for criticising the mandatory hijab for women.