In order to suppress the "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" uprising that started in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan last September after the killing of a young Kurdish woman, Jina Amini, in police custody, the Iranian regime kidnapped, arrested and murdered many rights defenders and students.

Journalists Saeeda Shafiei, Mehrnoush Zarei Hanzaki and Nasim Sultan Beygi, who supported the uprisings in January 2023, were released on bail after being arrested on charges of "making propaganda against the system and national security".

The hearing of the lawsuit was held at the 26th Branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Many citizens and media activists, including representatives of the Tehran Journalists' Union, were present at the hearing. Dozens of people were not allowed into the courtroom.

The court tried to change the course of the trial

The journalists who made a defense at the hearing stated that they wrote articles on human rights and social issues and that this did not constitute a crime. The court panel tried to change the course of the trial by asking journalists whether they opposed the "mandatory headscarf", as well as the content and opinions they published on digital media.

Punishment demanded for the 3 journalists

In the last minutes of the hearing, the court judge allowed Badr al-Sadat Mofidi, one of the representatives of the Tehran Journalists' Union, to make a defense of the three journalists. During the tense hearing, the court board announced that the trial was over and demanded punishment for 3 journalists.

Saeeda Shafiei is a storyteller, an economics journalist and a graduate of "Agricultural Economics" from Allamah Tabatabai University in Tehran and "Energy Economics and Marketing of Hydrocarbon Resources" from Tehran Islamic Azad University. She came in 3rd place in the Azad University graduate entrance exam. Saeeda Shafiei, who was detained and arrested by intelligence forces at her home in Tehran last year, was transferred to Ward 2 A in Evin Prison. She was temporarily released on bail the same year.

Mehrnouzh Zarei Hanzaki is known for her news about health

Mehrnoush Zarei Hanzaki, who works as a journalist in the field of health, has published a lot of news in local media, such as the weekly ILNA, ISNA, ANA news agency and Chelcheragh. Mehrnoush Zarei Hanzaki, who was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison 2 A Ward after being detained by security forces at her mother's home in Tehran last year, was temporarily released the same year.

Nasim Sultan Beygi sentenced to prison before

Journalist Nasim Sultan Beygi is a Communication Sciences graduate from Allamah Tabatabai University in Tehran. A former student activist, she is a permanent member of the Tehran State Association of Journalists. Beygi, who worked for many local newspapers such as Sharq newspaper, Arman, Iskanews, Shahrnousht, Sabzpress and Nasim Bidari, was previously arrested for her union activities and sentenced to two years in prison. She was sentenced to 6 years in prison for participating in student meetings. Her sentence was later reduced to 3 years when the case was brought to the Court of Appeal, and two years of her sentence were included in the scope of probation.

Beygi was last arrested by security forces at Imam Khomeini International Airport while leaving Iran. She was transferred to Ward 2 A of Evin Prison and temporarily released on bail the same year.