Bengard
Bengard بنگارد | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | Amir Mehdi Rajabi 12 October 2004 |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
Amir Mehdi Rajabi (Persian: امیر مهدی رجبی; born 12 October 2004), known professionally as Bengard (بنگارد), is an Iranian rapper, composer, and songwriter. He was arrested following 2025–2026 Iranian protests.[1][2][3][4]
Career
At the age of 16, he released a self-composed song titled "God", which discusses personal themes and addresses hardships in his life.[5] Bengard has released independent music projects on steaming services. These include the albums Amir Bengard Is Back (2016), Baroon (2022), Etehad (2022), and XxX Lucifer 013 (2022).[6]
In an interview with Rasanashr, he said:
that rap music is a culture and should not be viewed as entertainment.[7]
Arrest
In 2023, during conscripted military service, he was detained for one month by the Law Enforcement Command's Intelligence Protection Organization following the publication of a video showing a live rap performance. After legal proceedings at the military prosecutor's office, he was sentenced to three months of additional service and ordered to pay a monetary fine of 27 million Iranian toman, according to reports.[8][9][10][11][12]
Following the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, he was arrested on 19 January 2026 by the Ministry of Intelligence. According to a report by IranWire and Radio Zamaneh,[13][14] intelligence agents subjected him to physical abuse and psychological torture in an attempt to extract a forced confession, including allegations of arson attacks on banks, manufacturing Molotov cocktails, and physical confrontations with Iranian agents. The report also states that he was subjected to psychological intimidation, including threats such as “Feel the coldness of the noose around your neck.” According to human rights organizations, the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him were severe enough to cause speech impairment (stuttering) during conversation.[15][16][17][18][19]
See also
References
- ^ Bengard, a rapper from Astara, was beaten and mentally tortured. iranwire.org (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Narrative of an arrest: From attending the January protests to four days of interrogation and pressure for a forced confession. radiozmaneh.com (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Biographies: Amir Bengard. elcinema.com. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Bengard on pdb app. personality database. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Who is Amir Bengard? – Biography of Amir Bengard with Images. karajnews.com (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Amir Bengard. apple music. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Bengard: Rap music is the common language of all cultures. rasanashr (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ بازداشت و شکنجه روانی یک رپر تُرک در آستارا - عکس [Detention and psychological torture of a Turkish rapper in Astara - photo]. axar.az (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Arrest and Torture of “Amir Mehdi Rajabi”, Iranian Turkish Rapper from “Astara”; Pressure for Forced Confessions. khro.org. 1 February 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ News Podcast: What's going on behind the walls of Iran's prisons?. bazdashtshodegan.com (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Biography of Amir Bengard - A rapper who was arrested many times!. omigo (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ بازداشت، ضربوشتم و شکنجه روانی «امیرمهدی رجبی» رپر تُرک آذربایجانی اهل آستارا [Restraint, beating, and psychological torture of Amir Mehdi Rajabi, a Turkish Azerbaijani rapper from Astara]. gunaz.tv (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ بازداشت، ضربوشتم و شکنجه روانی بنگارد، رپر اهل آستارا [Bengard, a rapper from Astara, was beaten and mentally tortured]. IranWire (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ روایت یک بازداشت؛ از حضور در اعتراضات دیماه تا چهار روز بازجویی و فشار برای اعتراف اجباری [Narrative of an arrest: From attending the January protests to four days of interrogation and pressure for a forced confession]. Radio Zamaneh (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Hengaw reports on the arrest of seventeen citizens, including five Baloch citizens. hengaw.net. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ "Talysh rapper was subjected to torture". modern.az. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ Azerbaijani rapper Amir Mehdi Rajabi arrested in Astara. gadtb.com (in Persian). Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ "Astara şəhərində azərbaycanlı reper Əmirmehdi Rəcəbi saxlanılıb". gadtb.com (in Azerbaijani). 1 February 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ "Astaralı türk reper Əmir Mehdi Rəcəbi həbs edilib" [Turkish rapper Amir Mehdi Rajabi from Astara arrested]. xalqcebheci.az (in Azerbaijani). 6 February 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.