Attorney For Mahsa Amini Family Sentenced To Prison

Saleh Nikbakht, the attorney representing the family of Mahsa Amini, has been sentenced to one year in prison on charges of "propaganda activities against the system".

The legal activist also received a supplementary punishment of two years prohibiting online activities. The initial court proceedings for Nikbakht took place in August, during which he faced allegations related to his media interviews, including discussions on the legal aspects of Mahsa Amini's case. 

Notably, Nikbakht had voiced objections to the forensic report attributing Amini's death to a "heart attack" and an "underlying disease," advocating for a reinvestigation by a committee of independent medical professionals.

The prosecution presented nine interviews conducted by Nikbakht between 2019 and 2023 as "evidence" against him, where he discussed controversial topics such as the confrontations between security forces and Afghans.

Saleh Nikbakht's summons occurred exactly six months after the death of Mahsa Amini. The young woman, originally from Saqqez, had come to Tehran with her family to visit relatives but was arrested by the morality police on September 13 for "improper hijab."

During her first two hours in detention, she suffered severe head injuries, prompting her transfer to a hospital in Tehran. Tragically, by September 16, she was dead.

Amini's death had profound ramifications, inciting widespread protests against the Islamic Republic. The demonstrations marked one of the most significant uprisings against clerical rule in Iran in the past 43 years.