Payam Javan: Jailed Iranian dissident rapper Saman Yasin, detained during 2022 protests, has pleaded for a death sentence in a letter posted on Instagram, citing 18 months of incarceration without trial and alleged torture.

Yasin, accused of “waging war against God,” received a death sentence from Tehran Revolutionary Court, but the Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Despite consistent claims of innocence and appeals, Yasin remains in Karaj’s Ghezel Hesar prison. The plea follows protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, with Iranians decrying a lack of rights and the judiciary imposing harsh penalties, including death sentences.