Long Prison Sentences for Women Journalists in Iran
An Iranian Revolutionary Court has sentenced two women journalists to long prison terms over their coverage of the death of Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Amini last year.
According to state media, the death of 22-year-old Amini while in the custody of the morality police ignited widespread protests across Iran. The Revolutionary Court has now sentenced Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi to 13 and 12 years in prison, respectively. The charges include collaboration with the U.S. government and acting against national security.
The lawyers representing Hamedi and Mohammadi have strongly denied these charges.
The journalists received seven and six years, respectively, for alleged collaboration with the U.S. government. Additionally, they were each given five years for acting against national security and one year for propaganda against the system, as reported by IRNA.
Hamedi was detained after taking a picture of Amini’s parents embracing each other in a Tehran hospital, while Mohammadi was arrested for covering Amini’s funeral in her hometown of Saqez, where the protests initially erupted.
The “issued verdicts” are subject to appeal, as stated by IRNA. If the sentences are confirmed, the time the women have already spent in Evin jail, where most political prisoners are held, will be deducted from their overall sentences.
Connections with the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
In October last year, Iran’s intelligence ministry released a statement accusing Mohammadi and Hamedi of being agents for the CIA. Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency, reported that there is documented evidence of their intentional connections with certain entities and individuals affiliated with the U.S. government.
It is crucial to protect the freedom of journalists and ensure their safety. The sentencing of Hamedi and Mohammadi highlights the challenges faced by journalists in Iran and the need for international attention and support to safeguard press freedom.
Let us stand in solidarity with journalists around the world who work tirelessly to bring us the news and shed light on important issues.
