The Trial of Imprisoned Journalists Begins; Elahe Mohammadi's Lawyer: No Opportunity for Defense Was Given

Shahab Mirloohi, the lawyer for Elahe Mohammadi, a detained journalist accused of covering the funeral of Mahsa Amini, states that the Revolutionary Court lacks jurisdiction over this case. In an interview with Ham-Mihan newspaper, he detailed the acceptance of Mohammadi's case and her attendance at the court session, stating: "On Tuesday, June 8, we went to the court to attend the hearing, which started an hour late, but throughout the session, the lawyers were not given any opportunity to defend or express any points." Mirloohi also mentioned, "In our view, the Revolutionary Court does not have the jurisdiction to handle this case, and it should be tried in a competent court, namely a criminal court, with the presence of a jury and publicly, as the majority of this case pertains to Ms. Mohammadi's journalistic activities or her opinions and writings. It is unclear why a case that is a clear example of a media and political case is being held in the Revolutionary Court, contrary to Article 168 of the Constitution, without the possibility of free attendance by citizens and media and without a jury." He emphasized that some of his client's fundamental rights have been violated and that incorrect claims have been made in the case. He added: "My client has been held in solitary confinement for a long time, and as a well-known journalist, she has been in pre-trial detention for eight months without any logical or legal justification." Mohammadi's lawyer criticized that the court president did not even allow the lawyers to "express formal objections" during the hearing, stating: "Only after the reading of the indictment were questions about the case's subject asked of Ms. Mohammadi, to which she responded, and ultimately, the first session was concluded, with a date for the next session to be announced later." The first court session regarding Elahe Mohammadi's charges was held on Tuesday, June 8, in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati. Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were among the journalists who were arrested early in the nationwide protests in Iran for reporting on the circumstances of Mahsa Amini's death in custody and her funeral. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department rejected the Iranian government's accusations against Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi of "collaborating with the U.S." On June 2, Matthew Miller, in response to a question from a VOA reporter regarding the case of these two imprisoned journalists, said: "Regarding this specific question, we reject these accusations. They are clearly not true." Mr. Miller also added: "I should point out that during the protests, Iranian officials repeatedly violated the civil rights of Iranians and punished them for what constitutes fundamental freedoms. This includes not only members of the Iranian community who took to the streets to protest but also journalists in the country." The court session regarding Niloofar Hamedi's charges is also scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Salavati. Both court sessions are being held privately despite requests from individuals and human rights organizations for them to be public. A collective demand from journalists: the trials of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi should be public; Kayhan: they took the lead. The date for the trials of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi, two detained journalists, has been set after months of uncertainty. The trials of two journalists and two political activists are being held privately. The journalists' guild has requested a "fair and public trial" for Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi. In response to VOA, the U.S. rejected the Iranian government's claims against Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi. The "Freedom of Writing" award was presented to Narges Mohammadi; the American PEN Association awarded this prize to Ms. Mohammadi's husband. The Iranian Writers' Association called for the unconditional release of all imprisoned journalists in Iran. Narges Mohammadi emphasized the role of the Islamic Republic in the poisoning of schoolgirls. Three imprisoned female journalists in Iran received the UNESCO Press Freedom Prize. Exclusive: a journalist in Iran: journalists did not allow the distortion of reality.