About 200 Journalists Demand the Release of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi

About 200 journalists, writers, and media activists in Iran have called for the release of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi in a letter, noting that more than a year has passed since their arrest. The signatories of this letter, which was published on the evening of October 17 in 'Shahrak Network' belonging to the Shargh newspaper, stated that nearly three months have passed since the last court session for Ms. Mohammadi and Hamedi, and they are still 'imprisoned without any ruling, under the title of temporary detention and without bail or release.' They emphasized that after one year, based on the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, they should be released. Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi were arrested during last year's nationwide protests for covering the news of Mahsa Amini's death in police custody and were accused of 'collaborating with a hostile government,' an accusation that has always been denied by both women and their lawyers. The U.S. State Department has also rejected claims by Iranian judicial officials regarding 'the connection of Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi with the U.S. government,' stressing that the trial of these two journalists, who played a role in reporting Mahsa Amini's death, was aimed at 'intimidating journalists in Iran.' The signatories of the letter stated that 'a free media environment, information dissemination, and the expression of the country's issues and problems, as well as the ability to critique performances, are the key to addressing deficiencies, inefficiencies, and illegal actions.' They added that whenever writers 'have the opportunity to work freely and can illuminate shortcomings and errors, they can provide a guiding light for solutions, and society can also avoid unnecessary tensions, misunderstandings, and false insinuations.' The letter stated that the arrest and imprisonment of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi is 'a significant blow to this important mission.' Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, dozens of journalists and citizen reporters have faced expulsion, arrest, and even death. Among the signatories of the letter are Azadeh Mohammadi, Aida Izadi, Afshin Amirshahi, Elnaz Mohammadi, Elham Daniyali, Elahe Khosravi Yeganeh, Omid Iranmehr, Omid Tosheh, Amirhossein Moslehi, Banafsha Ranjy, Pejman Mousavi, Pouria Soori, Javad Heydarian, Reza Saemi, Reza Mansour Khanki, Zahra Jafarzadeh, Sara Islami, Sara Ghazanfari, Shahram Sharif, Shahzadeh Hemmati, and Shahryar Shams Mostofi. This letter was also signed by Saba Shirdoust, Marjan Zahrani, Abdollah Naseri, Kazem Farajollahi, Gisu Faghfoori, Leili Farhadpour, Matin Ghafarian, Mohammad Aghazadeh, Mohammad Javad Rouh, Maryam Karimbeigi, Mozdak Ali Nazari, Mostoureh Nasiri, Masoud Mir, Mehdi Afsharnik, Milad Alavi, Milad Fadaei Asl, Mina Akbari, Nafiseh Zareh Kohan, Negar Bagheri, and Noushin Jafari. One year has passed since the arrest of Niloufar Hamedi; prison for the crime of fulfilling journalistic duties. The sister of Elahe Mohammadi, a jailed journalist, stated: 'Now it has been exactly one year since our hands have been separated.' The spokesperson for the judiciary denied the claims; 'the acquittal' of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi from the charge of collaborating with a hostile country. One year of temporary detention for Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi; lawyers say the environment is 'conducive for acquittal.' Anniversary of Mahsa; report by the International Federation of Journalists on a year of repression of journalists and media in Iran. Anniversary of Mahsa; Reporters Without Borders: During the 'widespread repression' of protests, 79 Iranian journalists were arrested.