Iranian pop singer Shervin Hajipour, known for his anthem Baraye has been handed a minimum three-year prison sentence. The song gained prominence amid nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody in September 2022. Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was detained for allegedly breaching Iran's strict dress code for women.

What more do we know about Shervin’s imprisonment?

As per The Guardian, the 26-year-old revealed his sentence on Instagram during the country's parliamentary elections and cited charges of inciting riots to disrupt national security and propaganda against the regime. The timing and public disclosure of the verdict remained undisclosed.

What more do we know about the song that led to Shervin’s arrest?

Baraye meaning For in English, emerged as a rallying cry for protesters and addressed grievances against Iran's ruling theocracy and referencing Amini's alleged arrest over her headscarf. Despite its impact, state-run media overlooked Hajipour's sentencing amidst election coverage, with no immediate response from Iran's UN mission.

The song's lyrics, including "For dancing in the streets / for the fear we feel when we kiss," resonated globally. It was featured at a White House Nowruz celebration in March 2023 and earned Hajipour a special Grammy for best song for social change, lauded by US First Lady Jill Biden.

Jill has called the tune a “powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights”.

Compulsory since 1983, the headscarf law remains a contentious issue in Iran and symbolises broader struggles for freedom and women's rights. Amini's death ignited widespread protests and resulted in casualties and arrests, with Hajipour briefly detained during the unrest.

In a separate case, pop singer Mehdi Yarrahi faced a one-year prison sentence for criticising the headscarf law and was later commuted to home confinement due to health concerns.