Mehdi Rajabian

The Global Investigative Journalism Network's Choice Award as Rebellion's Artist in the World 2017

The case of Mehdi Rajabian was investigated in summer 2015 in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court by Judge Mughiseh and finally he was charged of unauthorized art activity and insulting religious sanctities and advertisement against the regime and sentenced for six-year prison and fine. This sentence was on appeal to three years imprisonment in Branch 54 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court and three years of suspended sentence.

He learnt the hierarchies of the Iranian music during a few years commencing the learning from the masters of the traditional music and recorded and played several albums, e.g. "Research Album of the History of Iran narrated by Setar" as the sitarist, composer and producer. He has also worked as the sound recordist and the sound recording director in the several music albums. Rajabian was also a student in relation with his professional music activity; after he was arrested in 2013, he was ceased on continuing education in this field.

Mehdi Rajabian officially participated and monitored the quality of the publication and the music composition. He was arrested by Iranian security forces on 5 October 2013 in his office and transferred to Ward 2A of Evin Prison and each one was sentenced more than two months in solitary confinement, while this arrest ceased his personal project. When Mehdi Rajabian was arrested, he was recording "Research Album of History of Iran narrated by Setar", his personal studio, all recordings, hard drives of recorded music were confiscated and the project became silent.

Mehdi Rajabian (Persian: مهدی رجبیان ‎; born October 1989) is an Iranian composer, musician and the founder of the website Barg music. He was imprisoned for pursuing illegal musical activities in 2015. In 2019, he released the album Middle Eastern in collaboration with a number of other Middle Eastern artists.