Grammy-Winning Iranian Singer, Awarded over Mahsa Amini Protest Anthem, Sentenced to Prison

First lady Jill Biden accepts the award for best song for social change on behalf of Shervin Hajipour for "Baraye" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP)
First lady Jill Biden accepts the award for best song for social change on behalf of Shervin Hajipour for "Baraye" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP)
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Grammy-Winning Iranian Singer, Awarded over Mahsa Amini Protest Anthem, Sentenced to Prison

First lady Jill Biden accepts the award for best song for social change on behalf of Shervin Hajipour for "Baraye" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP)
First lady Jill Biden accepts the award for best song for social change on behalf of Shervin Hajipour for "Baraye" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP)

An Iranian singer who won a Grammy presented by US first lady Jill Biden has been sentenced to more than three years in prison over his anthem supporting the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.

Shervin Hajipour posted on Instagram on Friday, the same day that Iran held its parliamentary election, what appeared to be part of the judgment against him.

It said Hajipour received a three-year, eight-month sentence on charges of "for the propaganda against the system" and "encouraging people to protest." The court issued its sentence in part because it found he hadn't properly expressed regret over publishing the song.

It also imposed a two-year travel ban and ordered him to create a song about "US crimes," as well as make posts about those crimes online.

Hajipour thanked his lawyers and his agent for their support.

"I will not mention the name of the judge and the prosecutor so that they don’t get insulted and threatened, because insults and threats are not in the religion of humanity," he wrote. "Finally, one day we will understand each other. Until then."

Hajipour already had served some prison time, but was out on bail pending the court's decision. It was unclear if he had already reported to serve his sentence.

Iranian state-run media, focused on the election Friday, didn't note Hajipour's sentence. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hajipour’s song "Baraye," or "For" in English, begins with: "For dancing in the streets,for the fear we feel when we kiss." The lyrics list reasons that young Iranians posted online for why they had protested against Iran’s ruling theocracy after Amini's death in September 2022, allegedly for not wearing her mandated headscarf to the liking of security forces.

The protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran’s clerical rulers. A subsequent security crackdown killed more than 500 people, with more than 22,000 detained.

Jill Biden awarded Hajipour the Grammy's new song for social change special merit award during the ceremony last year.

"This song became the anthem of the Mahsa Amini protests, a powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights," Biden said at the ceremony. "Shervin was arrested, but this song continues to resonate around the world with its powerful theme: Women, life, freedom."

Hajipour's sentencing comes as other activists, journalists and artists have faced arrest, imprisonment and harassment since the demonstrations. Among those imprisoned is Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi.

The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran condemned Hajipour's sentencing Friday, and demanded Iran immediately release him from the sentence.

"This blatant violation of Shervin’s rights to free speech and expression is a grave injustice and a clear affront to human rights principles," the center said. "His imprisonment serves as a chilling reminder of the ongoing repression faced by artists, activists and dissenting voices in Iran."



Biden to Lobby Trump Administration Not to Walk Away from Ukraine

 US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Biden to Lobby Trump Administration Not to Walk Away from Ukraine

 US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden will discuss top domestic and foreign policy priorities with President-elect Donald Trump when the two meet on Wednesday, and lobby the incoming administration not to abandon Ukraine, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.

Republican Trump will take office on Jan. 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election. Biden invited Trump to come to the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said.

In an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" show, Sullivan said Biden's top message will be his commitment to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, and he will also talk to Trump about what's happening in Europe, in Asia and the Middle East.

"The President will have the chance to explain to President Trump how he sees things, where they stand, and talk to President Trump about how President Trump is thinking about taking on these issues when he takes office," Sullivan said.

A key topic will likely be Ukraine's war with Russia, which Trump has pledged to end swiftly although he did not say how.

"President Biden will have the opportunity over the next 70 days to make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that the United States should not walk away from Ukraine, that walking away from Ukraine means more instability in Europe," Sullivan said.

When asked if that means Biden will ask Congress to pass legislation to authorize more funding for Ukraine, Sullivan deferred.

"I'm not here to put forward a specific legislative proposal. President Biden will make the case that we do need ongoing resources for Ukraine beyond the end of his term," Sullivan said.

Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars worth of US military and economic aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February of 2022, funding that Trump has repeatedly criticized and rallied against with other Republican lawmakers.

Trump insisted last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin never would have invaded Ukraine if he had been in the White House at the time. He told Reuters Ukraine may have to cede territory to reach a peace agreement, something the Ukrainians reject and Biden has never suggested.