Amnesty International: Journalists Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi Must Be Released Immediately

Amnesty International condemned the lengthy prison sentences issued to imprisoned journalists Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi and called for their immediate release. In a statement published on its Instagram page on Tuesday, November 2, the human rights organization criticized the 'severely unjust' trial of the two reporters covering the news related to the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in the custody of the morality police, adding that 'journalism is not a crime.' The 15th branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi to a total of 25 years in prison, of which 13 years is 'enforceable.' According to these sentences, Niloufar Hamedi, a reporter for Shargh newspaper, was sentenced to 13 years and Elahe Mohammadi, a reporter for Ham-Mihan newspaper, to 12 years in prison. If these sentences are upheld in the appeals court, the maximum punishment of 7 years for Niloufar Hamedi and 6 years for Elahe Mohammadi will be enforced. Amnesty International described the 'security' charges against these women journalists, including 'collaboration with the hostile government of the United States,' 'conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' and 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,' as 'false.' Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, along with their lawyers and families, have denied these charges. The U.S. State Department also denied the Iranian judiciary's claim of 'collaboration with the hostile government of the United States,' stating that the trial of these two journalists was aimed at 'intimidating journalists in Iran.' In part of its statement, Amnesty International referred to reports of the torture of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in custody as 'credible' and added that Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who were the first reporters to cover the news of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, have been in detention since September 2022. Government forces arrested Niloufar Hamedi on September 22, 2022, and Elahe Mohammadi on October 1, 2022. Amnesty International emphasized that these two individuals were deprived of their right to a fair trial and access to chosen lawyers for eight months after their arrest and were only allowed to meet with their lawyers one day before the trial. Additionally, according to Amnesty International, one of their lawyers was also 'arbitrarily' arrested last year. This international organization also described the airing of a propaganda video aimed at 'justifying' the sentences against Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi as 'disgraceful.' According to Amnesty International, state media, including the media arm of the Iranian judiciary, have aired this propaganda video over the past week, presenting the journalistic and activist activities in the field of women's rights as 'evidence of crime' against these two journalists. The issuance of prison sentences for Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi has sparked a wave of protests and criticisms against the judiciary's actions. Recently, Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, expressed concern over the prison sentences for the two detained journalists in Iran and the lawyer of Mahsa Amini by the Iranian judiciary. Furthermore, see: UN Special Rapporteur: The Islamic Republic must stop the widespread harassment of human rights defenders and journalists. Saleh Nikbakht, the lawyer for Mahsa Amini's family, was also tried and sentenced to one year in prison after giving interviews to the media regarding the murder case of Mahsa Amini. Also see: Saleh Nikbakht, lawyer for Mahsa Amini's family, sentenced to one year in prison and supplementary punishment. Reactions to prison sentences for 'truth-tellers': The Islamic Republic will not see the 'next six to seven years.' Announcement of sentences in a case: Niloufar Hamedi; 13 years in prison, 7 years of which is enforceable | Elahe Mohammadi; 12 years in prison, 6 years of which is enforceable. About 200 journalists have called for the release of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi. The sister of Elahe Mohammadi, the imprisoned journalist, stated: 'Now it has been exactly one year since our hands have been separated.'