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Iranian musicians are sentenced to 14 years in prison and to receive lashes for playing metal

Evin band

Hard Rock

Iranian musicians are sentenced to 14 years in prison and to receive lashes for playing metal

Sadly, the newest episode fueled by intolerance comes from Iran. Confess musicians Nikan Khosravi and Arash Ilkhani were given a 14-year prison sentence for the crime of playing Heavy Metal. Vocalist Nikan Khosravi will still receive 74 lashes.

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In 2015, the band was arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, even facing the death penalty, but got rid of because of a loophole in the law.

“If you insult the Prophet, you will be executed, because he is dead and he cannot defend himself.” But if you blaspheme God and question his existence, he can forgive you, so we were not executed,” Khosravi explains.

Loudwire was able to obtain a legal document from the General Judiciary of Tehran Province describing Confess’s ruling, which was handed down on 3 July. Check out some of the excerpts:

“Regarding the appeal of Mr. Arash Ilkhani and Mr. Nikan Khosravi, each of them was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of insulting the sanctity of Islam and a year in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime of the Republic Islam of Israel …”

“In the documents received, the court sentenced Nikan Khosravi to two years in prison on three counts of insulting the Supreme Leader and the president. He was sentenced to 6 months in prison and 74 lashes for allegedly disrupting public opinion through the production of music containing anti-regime letters and insults of content and for participating in interviews with the opposition media. ”

“Regarding Mr. Arash Ilkhani, the appeals court, reviewing the content of the case and considering its role in the production of content in the musical group denominated” Confess “and its inactivity in the group during the trial, suspended 4 years of its study. years of imprisonment and confirmed two years of his conviction.”

The court declares that this statement rejects the appeal. This is the definitive vote.”

In all, Khosravi received 12 ½ years of imprisonment and 74 lashes. Ilkhani had his initial sentence of six years reduced to two years.

In response to the ruling, the band released the new song “Evin”, in honor of the arrest where the musicians were arrested after their arrest in 2015.

I'm a Brazilian journalist who always loved Classic Rock and Heavy Metal music. That passion inspired me to create Rock and Roll Garage over 6 years ago. Music has always been a part of my life, helping me through tough times and being a support to celebrate the good ones. When I became a journalist, I knew I wanted to write about my passions. After graduating in journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, I pursued a postgraduate degree in digital communication at the same institution. The studies and experience in the field helped me improve the website and always bring the best of classic rock to the world! MTB: 0021377/MG

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