Tehran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced two journalists to lengthy prison sentences for collaboration with the United States and other charges. Niloufar Hamedi, from the reformist newspaper Shargh, was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Elaheh Mohammadi, from Ham-Mihan, received six years. Both journalists have been in pre-trial detention since covering Mahsa Amini’s death in custody last September.
The court deemed collaboration with the United States as “hostile” to Iran, as the country’s authoritarian Islamic government is regularly criticized for its constraints on civil liberties and human rights. In addition to collaborating with the US, both journalists were found guilty of acting against national security and engaging in “propagandistic activities against the state.” They have the option to appeal the verdict within 20 days.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the sentences, stating that they are a testament to the erosion of freedom of speech and the Iranian government’s attempts to criminalize journalism. The US special envoy for Iran also defended the journalists, criticizing the Iranian regime for jailing journalists out of fear of the truth.
Earlier this year, Hamedi and Mohammadi were honored in Time Magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people and awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize for their commitment to truth and accountability. Both journalists have been in detention since reporting on Mahsa Amini’s death, which resulted in widespread protests and allegations of excessive force from Iranian authorities.
The death of Amini, a 22-year-old woman held by the morality police for a loose headscarf, led to months of protests in Iran and condemnation from world leaders. The Biden administration imposed sanctions on Iran’s morality police for their abuse and violence against Iranian women and peaceful protesters. According to the CPJ, at least 95 journalists have been arrested since the protests, making Iran the worst jailer of journalists in 2022.
In a separate incident, a 16-year-old girl named Armita Garawand fell into a coma at a Tehran train station, sparking fears of further unrest. Rights groups and activists accuse Iran’s morality police of beating her into a coma for not complying with hijab rules. State-run media claims she fainted due to low blood pressure, but there are accusations that her family was coerced into making those statements.