Second Court Session for Mahsa Amini's Family Lawyer; Saleh Nikbakht: A Commission of 'Trusted Physicians' Should Be Formed

The second and final session of the court for Saleh Nikbakht, who has been accused of 'propaganda against the regime' after accepting the defense of Mahsa Amini's family, was held on Tuesday, October 2, at Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The lawyer for Mahsa Amini's family stated that 'the court's emphasis was mainly on the forensic medicine report regarding Mahsa Amini's death,' and he announced in court that the forensic report 'is not definitive and is subject to objection.' After the second court session on Tuesday, October 2, Saleh Nikbakht told the 'Iran Watch' website that due to the lack of sufficient evidence regarding Mahsa Amini's death, he is calling for the formation of a commission with the presence of trusted physicians from Amini's family 'to understand the forensic opinions and discuss the nature and cause of death,' and these physicians 'will not interfere in the forensic report.' Saleh Nikbakht stated that he cannot disclose the details of the court session, which 'lasted about an hour,' and that the session chair, Amouzad, had prepared 'the initial text of the court minutes in advance.' He rejected the accusations against him, emphasizing: 'In my final defense, I explained that what I have stated in various interviews with the media is not propaganda against the Islamic Republic or cooperation with anti-regime groups.' Saleh Nikbakht has previously mentioned that nine of his interviews over the past four years are considered evidence against him in this case. Ali Rezaei, Saleh Nikbakht's lawyer, also stated that these interviews relate to explaining the judicial process of Mahsa Amini's case, border issues, women's motorcycling, and the police's treatment of Afghans. Additionally, the UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding committee expressed 'deep concern' over the escalation of repression against girls and women and 'revenge' against protesters and the families of victims in Iran, based on information received, stating that the Islamic Republic has responded to protests with 'excessive and unnecessary use of force, arbitrary arrests and detentions, unfair trials, extrajudicial executions, and harassment of victims' families, which continues to this day.' Sara Hussein, head of the fact-finding committee, noted that 'Mahsa Amini should never have been arrested,' adding: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran has failed to fulfill its commitment to provide and guarantee truth, justice, and accountability for her family as well as for the families of other victims and women and girls and all protesters whose fundamental human rights have been violated and to take restorative and compensatory actions for them.' Saleh Nikbakht, lawyer for Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's family, previously told the Persian section of Voice of America that 'judicial authorities do not allow lawyers access to her medical and judicial documents.' This lawyer emphasized that 'the family's request and their lawyers is to clarify all ambiguities and answer all questions in this regard,' rejecting some statements by Iranian officials that previous illnesses and childhood surgeries caused Mahsa Amini's death, adding that 'these medical histories had no effect on Mahsa's death and the cause of death relates to the treatment on the day of her arrest and thereafter.'