The International Center for Human Rights - ICHR

Imprisoned Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Mohammad Najafi has been named the 2025 Human Rights Award laureate by the International Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) in Toronto, Canada. Unable to attend due to his imprisonment, the award was accepted on his behalf by Canadian lawyer Mark Arnold.

Najafi is currently serving his sentence in Evin Prison. Across multiple cases, he has faced 14 charges and been sentenced to over 21 years in prison, with no consolidation of sentences granted. Despite suffering from several health conditions, he has been denied specialized medical care. In April 2025, Branch 1 of the High Disciplinary Court for Judges also permanently disbarred him.

BREAKING: Iranian singer Tataloo has been sentenced to death by Iran’s corrupt regime.

He was extradited from Turkey in 2023 — violating its duty to protect against capital punishment.

This is not justice. It’s a political show and a crime against humanity.

We demand:
• Immediate release of Tataloo
• A halt to his ex*****on
• UN & global action NOW

The death penalty is the ultimate human rights violation. It must end.


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Full statement below
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2025
Contact: International Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) – Canada
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.humanrightsintl.org

ICHR Condemns Death Sentence Against Iranian Artist Tataloo: Calls for Immediate Action

The International Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) – Canada strongly condemns the horrifying confirmation of a death sentence against Iranian singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo (known as Tataloo) by the politically compromised Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Tataloo was arrested in Turkey in December 2023 and extradited to Iranian authorities — a move that appears to violate Turkey’s legal obligations under international law as a country that has abolished the death penalty. States are prohibited from transferring individuals to countries where they face a real risk of ex*****on without explicit assurances of protection.

This court ruling is not a matter of justice — it is a political show trial. It represents a blatant abuse of power by a regime that has institutionalized repression and criminalized freedom of expression. Executing a person for their beliefs or artistic expression is a barbaric act and a crime against humanity.

ICHR demands the immediate and unconditional release of Amir Tataloo and a halt to any ex*****on plans. We urge the United Nations, European Union, and all members of the international community to act urgently and diplomatically to prevent this ex*****on.

The death penalty is the ultimate human rights violation. It has no place in the modern world. The international community must apply maximum pressure — free of political interests — and stop legitimizing the Islamic Republic of Iran as a representative government.

It is time to stand up, speak out, and help end ex*****ons in Iran.