In a significant development, an Iranian court has acquitted two jailed journalists of collaborating with the United States. Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, who were sentenced to 13 and 12 years in prison respectively a year ago, have seen their terms reduced to five years. This decision comes as a relief for the journalists and their supporters, who had been vocal in denouncing the initial sentences.
The journalists were initially imprisoned for their coverage of the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who died while being held by the morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s Islamic dress code laws. Amini’s death sparked widespread protests across Iran in late 2022 and 2023, marking the most significant domestic unrest the country has seen since the 1979 revolution. The protests were fueled by anger at the government’s handling of Amini’s case and the broader issue of women’s rights in Iran.
The judiciary spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, confirmed the news at a news conference on Sunday, stating that the appeal court had cleared Hamedi and Mohammadi of the collaboration charges. The journalists’ reporting on Amini’s death was seen as a crucial factor in bringing the story to light and galvanizing public outrage, leading to the widespread protests that challenged the Iranian authorities.
The reduced sentences, while still significant, offer a glimmer of hope for the journalists and a potential sign of a shifting approach by the Iranian judiciary. The case has drawn international attention, with human rights groups and media organizations condemning the initial sentences and advocating for the journalists’ release. This latest development, though not a full exoneration, marks a step forward in a situation that has raised serious concerns about freedom of the press and the right to report on sensitive issues in Iran.
