Dozens of Political Prisoners Demand Public Trial for Narges Mohammadi

Thirty-six political and ideological female prisoners held in Evin Prison have called for a public trial for Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, and for independent media to be present at this trial. On Monday, June 4, Mohammadi's Instagram page published a statement indicating that these political prisoners also demand the presence of "witnesses and narrators of abuse, harassment, and sexual assault against imprisoned and detained women." Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court will hear charges against Narges Mohammadi for "propaganda against the regime" on June 8. According to these political prisoners, this trial will be held "due to her protest and account of sexual assault against imprisoned and detained women." Anisha Asadollahi, Sepideh Ghaleian, Golrokh Iraei, Nahid Taghavi, Shakila Monfared, and Vida Rabani are among the signatories of this statement. Narges Mohammadi herself had previously called for a public trial on May 18, with the presence of "witnesses and narrators of sexual assault" and guarantees for the "physical, psychological, and judicial safety" of the witnesses. This political prisoner also announced that this time she is to be tried for protesting "the bruising of her body and the account of the assault on Dina Ghalibaf." Her reference is to a voice message sent outside the prison in which she stated: "Dina Ghalibaf, a journalist, entered the women's section of Evin Prison hours ago with a bruised body and an account of sexual assault." Ms. Ghalibaf was arrested on April 16, a day after sharing her personal account of being detained by government agents for not adhering to mandatory hijab laws and experiencing "sexual assault" by one of them.