Iran's Judiciary Cancels Part Of Punishment Handed To Grammy Winner Hajipour

Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour (file photo)

An Iranian appeals court changed the sentence handed to Grammy Award winner Shervin Hajipour for making the viral song Baraye. One of Hajipour's lawyers told the Shargh news outlet that the court ruled that half of his three-year sentence had been suspended for two years, while additional punishments, including a two-year travel ban, were dropped. Earlier on August 6, Mizan, the news outlet linked to the judiciary, said that in making its decision, the 42nd branch of the Court of Appeal of Mazandaran Province decided "the judgment of the primary court was not recognized as appropriate to the situation of the accused and society." The song became the anthem of the Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody. In July, Hajipour said on Instagram that, while he was not barred from leaving Iran, he would go back to prison rather than leave the country. He was previously arrested in September 2022. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.