An Iranian rapper was sentenced to five years in prison and 74 lashes in court Saturday after being found guilty of spreading Western immorality in the Islamic nation, reported the ISNA news agency, citing prosecutors.
Amir-Hussein Maghsudlu, who performs under the name Ta-Ta-Lu, is one of a growing number of underground performers in Iran who usually give secret shows for selected crowds because their preferred style of performance - in this case, rap - are banned in Iran.
He was hit with the immorality charges earlier this year. His court case was delayed by two months when he was jailed in the middle for insulting the judge. Once he apologized, he was released on bail so he could complete his trial.
Saturday's verdict was a reduction from his initial sentence, which would have seen him in jail for 10 years.
Although Iran has, in recent years, allowed pop music to make inroads into the country, performers of other styles such as rap, hip hop and metal often find themselves banned. Even approved artists usually have to perform under rigorous guidelines and shows that are given official permission are usually targeted by protests organized by clerics and hardliners.
