Six and seven years in prison for the two Iranian journalists who covered the death of Mahsa Amini

Their trial took place in Tehran last May. Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi, two Iranian journalists, have been detained for more than a year in Evin prison in Tehran. Their crime? Having made public the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.

On Sunday 22 October the country’s official media announced that the two had been sentenced to six and seven years in prison respectively. They were simply doing their job.

Accused of conspiracy against national security and propaganda

In September 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was arrested in Tehran by morality police who accused her of violating the dress code of the Islamic Republic. Her death in prison, a few days later, sparked a vast movement of indignation, which was then organized behind this slogan “Women, life, freedom “. One year later, these women continue to fight for their rights despite the regime’s violent repression and have just received the Sakharov Prize.

But the battle is far from won, as demonstrated by this new court decision which strongly condemns journalists Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi.

According to the justice agency Mizan Online, Elaheh Mohammadi, 36, was sentenced to six years for collaboration with the United States, five years for conspiracy against the country’s security and one year for propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

Likewise, Niloofar Hamedi, 31, received seven years in prison for cooperation with the United States, five years for plotting against the country’s security and one year for propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

On Tuesday, Iranian justice also sentenced Mahsa Amini’s lawyer to one year in prison “propaganda” against the State afterwards “I spoke about the case with foreign and local media “, according to his defense.

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