Reporters Without Borders Announces New Campaign for the Release of Narges Mohammadi

The organization 'Reporters Without Borders' announced the formation of a new international campaign titled 'Coalition for the Freedom of Narges' for the immediate release of Narges Mohammadi. This organization, which supports freedom of expression, press, and journalists, stated in a press release on Tuesday, June 22, that four prominent human rights and press freedom organizations have united to call for the immediate release of Narges Mohammadi, a journalist, writer, Iranian human rights defender, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The American PEN Association, Reporters Without Borders, Front Line Defenders, and the Narges Foundation are the four groups that have initiated this coordinated effort for Narges Mohammadi's freedom. Reporters Without Borders announced on Tuesday that this campaign, under the title 'Coalition for the Freedom of Narges,' was formed following her court session on June 19. In that court session, a new case was brought against Narges Mohammadi, which may extend her prison sentence. Narges Mohammadi's Instagram page announced on Saturday, June 19, that she had refrained from attending that court session. Mustafa Nili, Narges Mohammadi's lawyer, wrote on the social media platform 'X' that 'the court session for Ms. Narges Mohammadi was held without her presence in Branch 29.' He added: 'As her lawyer, I presented my defense.' Narges Mohammadi's lawyer stated: 'Her charge is propaganda against the regime, which includes her comments about Dina Ghalibaf, her opinions on the boycott of the parliamentary elections, and so on.' In April 2024, it was reported that Dina Ghalibaf, a journalist and student activist, was arrested a day after she published her account of her detention by government agents for refusing to comply with mandatory hijab laws. Dina Ghalibaf stated that police officers sexually assaulted her during her arrest. It was later reported that she was arrested at her home by the intelligence forces of the Islamic Republic on Tuesday, April 28. So far, many civil and political activists in Iran have faced security charges resulting in prison sentences, exile, and bans on online activities. The enforcement of mandatory hijab regulations in Iran intensified following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police and nationwide protests. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, on April 22, 2024, in a speech during the Eid al-Fitr prayer, issued a new command to the 'enforcers of virtue,' whom he had previously described as 'fire at will,' urging them to confront what he termed 'religious norm-breaking.' Hours after this order from Ali Khamenei, the police command announced that it would implement a plan to counter women's optional dress starting Saturday, April 25. From that day, the Islamic Republic deployed its government forces and plainclothes agents in the streets of various cities in Iran, but despite widespread arrests, civil resistance continues. The intensification of restrictions on mandatory hijab has been met with widespread criticism from human rights organizations. Among them, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also issued a statement in May, referring to the increasing repression of women and girls in Iran for 'defying' mandatory hijab laws, calling for further sanctions against Islamic Republic officials, including security officials.