Lawyer For Mahsa Amini's Family Receives Harsh Sentence

Saleh Nikbakht, Mahsa Amini's family attorney, has been handed a heavy sentence by an Iranian court for "engaging in propaganda against the Iranian regime."

Ali Rezaei, Nikbakht's lawyer, revealed in an interview with Shargh Network that his client "has been sentenced to the highest punishment for the crime of propaganda against the system, which is one year of imprisonment and additional penalties." However, Nikbakht has expressed no intention to contest the verdict.

The news comes just days after Nikbakht received the prestigious 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on behalf of Mahsa Amini on Tuesday. Amini died in a hospital from severe head injuries three days after being arrested by Iran's hijab police.

Legal proceedings were initiated against Nikbakht in August, focusing on allegations related to his media interviews. These interviews predominantly delved into discussions regarding the legal facets of Mahsa Amini's case. Nikbakht contested the forensic report that ascribed Amini's death to a "heart attack" and an "underlying disease," pushing for a comprehensive reinvestigation by an impartial committee of medical professionals.

Nikbakht received his first summons exactly six months after the death of Amini. The young woman, originally from Saqqez, had journeyed to Tehran with her family but was apprehended by the morality police on September 13, 2022 for a "violation of mandatory hijab." Within the initial two hours of her detention, she suffered severe head injuries, prompting her transfer to a hospital in Tehran. She died of her injuries on September 16, 2022.

Amini's death had profound implications, triggering widespread protests against the Islamic Republic. The demonstrations marked one of the most significant uprisings against clerical rule in Iran in over four decades.