TEHRAN: Two female Iranian journalists will spend around a month behindbars as part of a three-year partly suspended prison sentence for“conspiracy” and “collusion”, local media reported on Sunday.
Under the sentence, Negin Bagheri and Elnaz Mohammadi will serveone-fortieth of the term, or less than a month, in prison, their lawyerAmir Raisian told the reformist Ham Mihan daily newspaper, where Mohammadiworks.
“The remaining period is suspended over five years,” during which time theywill be required to take “a professional ethics training” and “prohibitedfrom leaving the country,” the lawyer added.
Raisian did not elaborate on whether the verdict can be appealed, and thereport did not detail the allegations against the reporters.
Mohammadi’s sister, Elahe, who also works for Ham Mihan, has sinceSeptember 2022 been in prison after reporting on the funeral of MahsaAmini, 22, who died in police custody.
The death on September 16, 2022 of Amini, an Iranian Kurd, came after herarrest for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s dress code,triggering months-long nationwide protests.
Foreign-based rights groups have reported multiple arrests ahead of theanniversary of Amini’s death.
Bagheri works for the unaffiliated Haft-e Sobh newspaper.
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Elnaz Mohammadi was arrested and kept in Evin prison for a week inFebruary. The reason for her detention was not clear.
Last year’s demonstrations saw hundreds of people killed, including dozensof security personnel, and thousands arrested in connection with whatofficials labelled as foreign-instigated “riots”.
Seven men have been executed in protest-related cases involving killingsand other violence against security forces.
Local media reported last month that authorities in Iran have questioned orarrested more than 90 journalists since the protests.
On Wednesday, an Iranian news agency reported that journalist NazilaMaroufian, who defied Iran’s strict dress code and was freed on bailearlier in August, has been rearrested for not wearing the headscarf inpublic. -APP/AFP
