Arya Aramnejad is an Iranian singer from Babol, Iran. He became known for his song "Ali Barkhiz" where he denounces the Islamic regime's crimes during the 2009 Ashura protests. After this, he was jailed and tortured. He was then released and condemned to 1-year prison. He sang several other songs for the Green Movement of Iran including "Yek rooze khoob" (a good day), "Baraye Lamse Azadi" (for a touch of freedom), "Deltangi" (nostalgia). In December 2010, he had an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País where he talked about his tortures again and asserted "we have to be the voice of the political prisoners". He was arrested again on 8 November 2011. Ali Barkhiz This is the song written by Mohammad Ghorbani "bidad" and sung by Arya , which has been deemed to 'endanger the national security of the country': Arya Aramnejad- Ali Barkhiz English translation of it: English translation of Ali Barkhiz Court Defense Here is his defense against the court: (Translation by Potkin Azarmehr) I am standing before you in this court so that the Almighty will be a witness before you and I. A witness to what is happening today to our beloved Iran and to its brave sons and daughters. So that upon the judgement day when we are held accountable, those of us who stand proud and those of us who hold our heads down will remember that such is destiny. The final reward and punishment is only by God. If justice was the benchmark, instead of me standing trial today, it should have been those who have disgraced Iran and Islam who should have been standing trial. The very people who want to plunder Iran's wealth and use Islam to cover up their foray and despotism. I was arrested on 15 February when the intelligence ministry agents broke into my house. They smashed up our furniture and rummaged through our belongings just to maximise their intimidation. This was all because of a song I had written that according to the gentlemen had 'endangered the national security'. After that, I spent 44 days in solitary confinement where I was put under a series of emotional, mental and physical tortures. Allow me to describe just a small part of what I was put through: - Hurling insults and profanities to belittle me, even ridiculing the way I looked- Intimidating me by threatening to arrest my