Trial on Charges of 'Propaganda Against the Regime' and 'Protesting Sexual Assault' on Women; Narges Mohammadi: The Court Must Be Public

Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and imprisoned human rights activist, announced on Saturday, May 18, that she is set to be tried on charges of 'propaganda against the regime' and 'protesting sexual assault against women' on May 30. She addressed the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, stating: 'You are obliged to hold a public trial with the presence of independent journalists, women's rights activists, human rights advocates, and my lawyers.' Previously, her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, had written on social media platform 'X' that the hearing for Ms. Mohammadi's new case would take place on Sunday, May 30, in Branch 29 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. According to him, Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned human rights activist, is accused in this case of 'propaganda activities against the regime.' Additionally, according to the 'Narges Mohammadi Foundation' website, Ms. Mohammadi has also requested to be tried 'with the presence of witnesses and narrators of sexual assaults by the dictatorial religious government against women in court' and that 'witnesses should be able to attend with their lawyers and recount their experiences of assault publicly and openly, with guarantees for their personal, psychological, and legal safety.' She added: 'For the fourth time in the past four years, I am being brought to the table of unjust and nominal trials due to my protests and disclosures of sexual assaults by men of the religious government against women.' In her message, Ms. Mohammadi pointed out: 'The first time, I protested against the shameless assault by government men on myself on December 24, 2010, in the Evin courtyard, and although I was the complainant, I was placed in the defendant's position. The second time was due to holding a room on 'sexual harassment and abuse in Clubhouse' and narrating the assault, and the third time was due to writing a statement and testifying in the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement regarding the assaults against my fellow inmates, for which I was sentenced to prison and lashes.' She wrote: 'This time, I am being tried for my protest against the bruises on my body and the narration of the assault on Dina Qalibaf,' adding: 'This case was formed one day after I sent my voice message, quickly reaching the trial stage in Branch 7 of the Sacred Prosecutor's Office.' Additionally, see: Narges Mohammadi's account of Dina Qalibaf's transfer to Evin 'with a bruised body': The dictatorial government has brought a full-scale war to the streets. Narges Mohammadi, an honorary 'Freedom of Expression' awardee from the American PEN Association, continues to remain behind bars despite international calls for her release. She has continued her human rights activities in prison, emphasizing her opposition to the death penalty and fighting against human rights violations by the Islamic Republic both inside and outside of prison. Over the past three decades, Narges Mohammadi has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned, and in her latest legal case, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and is currently in Evin prison in Tehran. Narges Mohammadi described the 'presence of more than 20 female prisoners over 60 years old' in Evin as indicative of 'the will of women' and 'the cruelty of the Islamic Republic.' In a recent report by the American PEN Association, Iran maintains its rank as the largest prison for female writers in the world. The continuation of Narges Mansouri's hunger strike and medication refusal in Evin has raised concerns from Narges Mohammadi. A statement from 14 political prisoners condemned the death sentence of Tomaj Salehi: 'Today's silence means tomorrow's sentence for us.' Amir Salar Davoodi stated: 'The death sentence for Tomaj Salehi is judicial audacity'; Narges Mohammadi remarked: 'He is the soundtrack of the movement.'