US Support for Imprisoned Journalists: Iran Must 'Immediately' Free Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi

The US Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council called for the 'immediate release' of Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi during the 53rd session of the council on Friday. According to Michelle Taylor, the United States stands with all imprisoned journalists worldwide, including Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who are punished solely for telling the truth. She emphasized that freedom of expression is vital for transparent and accountable governance and helps build inclusive and prosperous societies. Michelle Taylor further condemned the increasing surveillance and soft attacks and retaliatory actions against journalists and media figures. She stated that the costs of increasing restrictions on access to information are not limited to the political sphere, and include limited access for women to education, internet shutdowns, and the growing digital divide, hindering social and economic development globally. Robert Malley, the US Special Envoy for Iran, also tweeted on Thursday, June 1, sharing a thread from the Persian account of the US State Department regarding the 'sham trial' of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi, stating, 'Journalism is not a crime.' He asserted that Iranian officials 'must stop imprisoning journalists like Elahe and Niloufar solely for doing their jobs.' Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were among the journalists who were arrested by the Iranian security forces at the beginning of the nationwide protests in Iran for reporting on the circumstances of Mahsa Amini's death in custody and her funeral. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council, stated that from August 1, 2022, to April 15, 2023, over 70 journalists, including 25 women, have been detained, and 16 journalists are still in prison. According to him, some of these detained journalists have received sentences ranging from 12 to 18 months in prison, have been banned from leaving the country, and have had their journalistic activities revoked. Guterres's report on the human rights situation in Iran: Stop executions and release detainees. Arash Keykhosravi, a lawyer, stated that the Revolutionary Court does not have jurisdiction over press cases. The International Federation of Journalists condemned the media crackdown by the Islamic Republic by publishing a list of imprisoned journalists. The US response to the 'sham trial' of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi: Journalism is not a crime. The 'trial' of imprisoned journalists has begun; Elahe Mohammadi's lawyer stated that lawyers were not allowed to speak. The Journalists' Guild Association has called for a 'fair and public trial' for Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi. In response to VOA, the United States rejected the Islamic Republic's claims regarding Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi.