June 21 is Music Day, a day we hold dear, and for which we, Eugenio In Via Di Gioia, have always taken to the streets to play. It's an event that - now more than ever - needs to be filled with meaning. And we would like to dedicate it to Toomaj Salehi." Thus, the group Eugenio In Via Di Gioia dedicates tomorrow to the Iranian rapper sentenced to death for "corruption on earth" by a revolutionary court. Except for brief periods of freedom, the artist has been detained for over a year on charges related to the content of his songs and for supporting the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement. Toomaj Salehi is a fervent supporter of anti-government protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, the 22-year-old who lost her life after being detained for not wearing the veil correctly. "In a place not too far away in the world, there are those risking their lives for singing against a regime that buries free thought and crushes those who try to oppose," declares the group. "Right now, in Iran, our fellow musician Toomaj Salehi is imprisoned, tortured, and sentenced to death." "We invite artists, professionals, and the public on June 21 to dedicate Music Day - appeals Eugenio In Via Di Gioia - to Toomaj with a song, a performance, a reflection, or any content to support the free expression that music has always represented. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, this remains a distant dream. We hope that the media attention our world can generate might impact Toomaj's condition and bring hope to all victims of repression, censorship, and violence in Iran and around the world. It is our privilege to have a voice, speaking out against those who silence it and for those who have lost theirs.
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