On Tuesday, Mizan, the judicial news outlet, reported that Iran’s highest legal body had forgiven two journalists who had exposed the death in police custody of a young woman that set off riots across the country in 2022.
An Iranian Revolutionary Court had sentenced Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi to twelve and thirteen years in prison respectively in October 2023 for their reporting of the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman in the custody of the morality police for supposedly breaching Iran’s severe dress code.
Mizan said these people were pardoned after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved a list of pardons generated by the head of the judiciary in celebration of the 46th anniversary of the Islamic revolution of 1979. Apologies given.
The court of appeal later found both reporters to be freed for good on the 17 months in jail and subsequently found innocent of “collaboration with the US.” last year.
Although the pardon has wiped other charges like “colluding against national security” and “propaganda against the regime,” the journalists’ legal case is now closed.
Worst agitation in Iran since the revolution ensued from demonstrations following Amini’s demise.
The government pointed the finger at the United States for provoking the protests—something Washington denied.
