Iranian authorities bring new charges against jailed rapper Toomaj Salehi

Two new charges have been brought against jailed Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, whose death sentence was overturned by Iran's Supreme Court in June.

Without revealing details, Salehi's social media page administrator disclosed new charges against him on X on Thursday, adding, "Intelligence agents with the cooperation of judicial officers are opening two new cases with false charges against Toomaj Salehi."

German MP YeOne Rhie, Salehi’s political sponsor, also reported the new charges, saying that the Iranian government does not want to release Toomaj so the authorities have levied new charges against him.

“The Iranian regime is afraid. Afraid of releasing Toomaj…that is the only reason for the new, completely abstruse charges, which once again lack any basis in the rule of law,” Salehi’s political sponsor German MP YeOne Rhie wrote on X reacting to the news.

In June this year, a death sentence against the rapper was overturned by Iran’s Supreme Court. His lawyer Amir Raisian announced that the case had been referred to a parallel branch for consideration.