Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi Refuses To Attend Trial

Renowned Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi publicly declared her decision to abstain from attending her trial session on Tuesday.

Mohammadi, currently imprisoned, shared the decision through her Instagram account, where she characterized the Revolutionary Court as the "slaughterhouse of the youth" and expressed her unwillingness to participate in what she views as a judicial system influenced by security institutions and extrajudicial elements.

Mohammadi's decision to refrain from the trial is rooted in several concerns, including the perceived lack of independence of the judiciary, the illegality of the Revolutionary Court, secret show trials, and the denial of defendants' right to a fair defense.

The announcement of Mohammadi's trial was made on December 10, with the session scheduled for December 19, her first trial after being honored with the Nobel Peace Prize.

This marks the third trial for Mohammadi, with recent proceedings focusing on her activities within the confines of the prison and her anti-government statements. Mohammadi, in her Instagram post, labeled the prison as the "stronghold of the despotic government," asserting that such methods have failed in suppressing the determination of courageous prisoners.

In her previous two cases during her imprisonment, Mohammadi was sentenced to 27 months in prison along with four months of street cleaning and community service.

The Defenders of Human Rights Center, in a report following the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, branded the latest prosecution against Mohammadi a retaliatory measure by the judiciary against her years of human rights advocacy.

The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in 2023 took place on December 10 in Oslo, Norway, without Mohammadi's presence. Her children, Ali and Kiana Rahmani, accepted the prestigious award on her behalf.