Shervin Hajipour, whose song Baraye has become an anthem for the ongoing protests in Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody, has been accused of "propaganda against the system" and "inciting people to violent acts."
Majid Kaveh, Hajipour's lawyer, said on Twitter on October 9 that that his client was temporarily detained before being released on bail and prohibited from leaving the country.
The song Baraye, which roughly translates as "because of," is based on the outpouring of public anger following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody on September 16. She was detained by Iran's morality police for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.
Since her death, Amini’s name has become a rallying cry against decades of state discrimination and violence.
The singer, who was arrested on September 29 by security officers in Tehran, composed the song from tweets sent by Iranians following Amini's death. Many of the tweets blame the country's social, economic, and political ills on the clerical regime.
The song garnered more than 40 million views in less than 48 hours before it was removed from Instagram. It is also flooding the submission box for the Grammys' newest special award category, which honors a song dedicated to social change.
Amini was detained by the morality police on September 13 for allegedly violating the hijab law. Three days later, she was declared dead in a Tehran hospital.
Activists and relatives say she was died as a result of blows to the head sustained while in detention. Officials first claimed she died of a heart attack, before a coroner's report blamed her death on "underlying diseases."
Authorities have stepped up their warnings against public figures and celebrities who have backed the protests and criticized the state crackdown.
Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have been quick to blame foreign governments for fanning the protests, with the judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, blaming celebrities in the country for taking the side of the "enemy."
Several Iranian celebrities, including soccer star Ali Daei, have been interrogated and had their passports confiscated by the authorities after showing support for anti-government protests sweeping the country.