TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Tuesday granted pardons to two journalists jailed after covering the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests, official media said.
Elaheh Mohammadi, 37, and Niloufar Hamedi, 32, were jailed in September 2022, days after producing media coverage of Amini’s death. The two journalists, both women, had spent more than a year behind bars before their release on bail.
“The cases of Ms Mohammadi and Ms Hamedi have been included in the list of pardons presented on Tuesday and have been awarded amnesty,” said the judiciary’s Mizan Online news website.
Mohammadi, a reporter for the reformist Ham Mihan daily, was arrested after going to Amini’s hometown of Saqez, in the western Iranian province of Kurdistan, to cover her funeral which turned into a demonstration.
Hamedi, a photographer for Shargh daily, was arrested less than a week after Amini’s death after posting a picture of the young woman’s grieving family on social media.
They had both received jail terms for collaboration with the United States, conspiring against state security and propaganda against the Islamic republic.
In August, the lawyers of the two journalists said they had been acquitted of the charge of collaboration with the United States.
Shargh reported on Tuesday that the cases of both journalists were now “closed.”
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, had been arrested for an alleged breach of strict dress rules for women, in place since shortly after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.
Following her death, months-long protests shook Iran, with hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, killed in the unrest, and thousands of demonstrators arrested.
Iran extends amnesty to journalists who covered Amini’s death
https://arab.news/2qxd4
Iran extends amnesty to journalists who covered Amini’s death
- Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi were jailed in September 2022, days after producing media coverage of Amini’s death
RT Arabic to launch new TV program marking 100 years of Russia-Saudi relations
- The program will broadcast twice a month starting next month
RIYADH: Russian news network, RT Arabic, is set to launch a new analytical program, “Studio Riyadh,” from the capital next month as part of celebrations marking 100 years of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Saudi Arabia.
The program will be hosted by veteran Saudi journalist Mohammed Al-Rashed and broadcast twice a month, starting February 2026. It will provide in-depth analysis of regional and international developments, featuring prominent political and media figures.
Maya Manna, head of RT Arabic, said that the launch aligned with commemorations of the historic ties between the two countries and reflected a growing commitment to media cooperation.
“Studio Riyadh” will join RT Arabic’s lineup of international programs broadcast from major capitals including Beirut, Cairo, Washington and Paris.
Each 26-minute episode will air on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and feature a focused dialogue on a pressing current affairs topic.
Al-Rashed, a seasoned presenter and correspondent with more than 20 years of experience, is expected to bring deep regional insight and journalistic rigor to the program.
RT Arabic, which was the first Russian news channel to broadcast 24/7 in Arabic, has grown into one of the region’s leading platforms for political analysis. It currently reaches an estimated audience of 400 million viewers and operates a broad network of regional bureaus.
