THE head of the EU parliament yesterday denounced Iran’s jailing of Mahsa Amini’s lawyer, after he accepted the EU’s top rights award on behalf of her and the protest movement her death sparked.  

The lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, was arrested and the award confiscated shortly after his return to Iran, parliamentary speaker Roberta Metsola said as the legislature began its latest plenary session in Strasbourg, France.  

“According to our information he has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment for allegedly engaging in propaganda against the system,” she said. “This is a false charge. It is unacceptable; it is inexcusable. And this house condemns it.”  

The European Parliament on December 12 awarded its Sakharov human rights prize to Nikbakht, who accepted it in Strasbourg on behalf of Amini – who died in police custody on September 16, 2022 – and the anti-regime, anti-Islamic headscarf movement that sprang up after her death.  

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died after being arrested by Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly breaking the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women requiring a headscarf covering all her hair.  

Her family, which rejected the Iranian authorities’ claim that Amini died of a cardiac arrest from a supposed pre-existing condition, was prevented by government security officials from travelling to France to pick up the award.  

Metsola praised Nikbakht’s “bravery and commitment” in exposing himself to Tehran’s retaliation, and on behalf of the EU parliament called for his “immediate and unconditional release”.  

She also reiterated the legislature’s “unwavering support to Mahsa Amini’s family and the woman-life-freedom movement and their ceaseless fight for liberty, justice and human rights”.  

Iran’s cleric-led authorities brutally cracked down on the movement, seeing it as a threat to their hold on power.  

Hundreds of demonstrators, and dozens of security personnel, were killed in the protests that sprang up after Amini’s death, and thousands were arrested, accused by the authorities of taking part in “riots” they said were fomented by the West.   

The authorities on Sunday released two Iranian women journalists who had covered Amini’s death after international attention focused on their imprisonment of over a year.  

Iranian news agency, Tasnim, said the two – Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi – had to each pay bail of US$192,000 (RM896,640) to be released as they appealed “conspiracy” and “propaganda” convictions.    

Another Iranian outlet, Mizan Online, said they were barred from leaving the country.  

Yesterday, Iran’s judiciary launched new proceedings against the journalists, accusing them of not wearing mandatory headscarves – the same charge levelled at Amini. – AFP, January 16, 2024.