Toomaj Salehi (Persian: توماج صالحی) is an Iranian hip hop artist mostly known for his protest songs concerning Iran’s societal issues and the policies of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He was born in Gerd Bishe, a city in the Charmahal and Bakhtiari province. He later on moved to Isfahan province.
Iran’s security forces arrested Salehi on September 12, 2021, in his house in Shahin Shahr, near Isfahan. He was charged with ‘propaganda against the regime’ and ‘insulting the supreme leadership authority.’ He was released on bail on September 21, pending a trial. On January 23, 2022, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Shahin Shahr sentenced Salehi to six months in jail and a fine.
Since Mahsa Amini’s protests in Iran, he had been a major advocate and voice for the anti-regime protests through social media and his music. As a result, the IRGC security forces arrested him on October 30th 2022.