Who Is Amir Tataloo? Iranian Pop Star Sentenced To Death For Blasphemy
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Iran's Supreme Court sentenced singer Amir Tataloo to death for blasphemy. Tataloo was jailed, moved to Turkey in 2018, arrested in 2023, and extradited.
Iran's Supreme Court has handed down a death sentence to popular Iranian singer Amir Tataloo, born Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, after convicting him of blasphemy, including insulting the Prophet Mohammed.
Tataloo was earlier handed a five-year prison sentence on similar charges; however, the case was later reopened following a prosecutor's objection. After the review, the court overturned the previous ruling and issued the death penalty in January this year.
Iranian singer Amir Tataloo
Amir Tataloo was born on September 21, 1987, in Tehran's Majidieh neighbourhood. Due to his family's financial struggles, he balanced work and studies from a young age. At 14, he worked in a carpentry workshop and later, between 16 and 18, he was employed at a grocery store.
After completing his studies, Tataloo pursued his passion for music, starting his career as an underground musician in Iran. He released his debut album 'Zire Hamkaf" in 2011 and went on to become one of Iran's most popular and controversial artists, known for blending pop, R&B, and rap.
His first single, which he released in 2003, marked the beginning of his career as an underground musician. He recorded the song Manam Yeki az un Yazdahtam (I'm Also One of Those Eleven Players) for the Iranian National Football Team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Tataloo released 'Energy Hastei," a song supporting Iran's nuclear program, during the July 2015 Iran/5+1 nuclear talks in Vienna. The music video was filmed on the Iranian navy ship Damavand, and it topped Google's Persian trending searches. The song sparked controversy, particularly among Iranian Reformists, who drew comparisons to Mohammadreza Shajarian's songs backing the 2009 Iranian protests.
He was arrested by the Iranian police in 2016, reportedly for promoting lyrics and a lifestyle that were seen as violating Islamic rules. In 2018, he moved to Turkey, where he created albums and organised big concerts. In 2020, he was under the spotlight again when he said that children under the age of 16 should be allowed to get married.
Amir Tataloo relocated to Turkey in 2018. There, he continued to produce music, releasing albums and staging large concerts. However, his presence in Turkey wasn't without controversy. In 2020, Tataloo sparked outrage with his comments on social media, suggesting that children under 16 should be allowed to get married, which drew widespread criticism.
Later, in 2023, Turkish authorities arrested him due to an expired passport and handed him over to Iranian authorities, who jailed him on charges including corruption.
His first album, Zire Hamkaf, was released in 2021. Since then, he has put out 21 albums. He is the first Iranian to collaborate with Universal Music Group. He was given a 10-year prison sentence for encouraging prostitution. He was also charged with disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic and spreading obscene content.
Later in May, he was given the death penalty after being found guilty of blasphemy in January.
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 12:55 IST
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