HRANA – Three rap artists, Arash Sayyadi, Ashkan Shekarian Moghaddam, and Rasam Sohrabi, were arrested by the Tehran Security and Intelligence Police. Videos of their forced confessions have been circulated on social media while their cases are still pending judicial review.
In the published videos, the three men appear half-naked, apparently to display their tattoos, suggesting the security forces intended to showcase them.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, these rappers, often labeled “underground” musicians for lacking official production licenses, were detained by Tehran’s Security Police. Following their arrests, videos were posted on social media accounts attributed to Arash Sayyadi, Rasam Sohrabi, and Ashkan Shekarian Moghaddam, in which they appear half-naked and confess to “taunting” and “disrupting public order” online.
At the end of the videos, the three express “gratitude and apologies” to “law enforcement, judicial authorities, the Second Base of the Intelligence Organization, and the Prosecutor’s Office of District 5 of Tehran.”
It is worth noting that, beyond violating human dignity, the recording and broadcasting of forced confessions constitute a breach of legal principles: under the law, individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and any punitive action before a final conviction is a violation of their civil and human rights.
These three citizens are active in rap music. Arash Sayyadi, known by his stage name “Isin,” and composer Rasam Sohrabi had previously faced security-related confrontations and arrests. Ashkan Shekaryan Moghaddam performs under the stage name “Ashkan Leo.
