TEHRAN:
The trial has begun in Iran of the lawyer of Mahsa Amini, the younger Iranian Kurd whose loss of life final September triggered a widespread protest motion, a media report mentioned Wednesday.
Saleh Nikbakht is charged with “propaganda in opposition to the system”, the every day Etemad reported.
The primary listening to “was on Tuesday and he was notified of the cost of propaganda exercise in opposition to the regime for having spoken to overseas and native media, in regards to the Mahsa Amini affair particularly”, it mentioned.
Nikbakht’s trial begins almost a 12 months after the loss of life in custody final September 16 of 22-year-old Amini, after she was arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic republic’s strict gown guidelines for ladies.
If convicted, he faces a jail time period of between one and three years.
Learn additionally: Iran steps up crackdown forward of Amini anniversary: activists
Etemad reported that Nikbakht’s lawyer urged his acquittal, saying that in interviews he “solely criticised the working of the nation by the authorities”.
On the finish of September 2022, Nikbakht indicated that the Amini household had filed a criticism in opposition to the cops who had arrested her.
Dozens of cops had been among the many a whole bunch of individuals killed through the Amini protests, which Tehran labelled “riots” fomented by overseas governments.
Authorities made 1000’s of arrests amongst protesters and their supporters.
Nikbakht, who comes from the western Kurdistan province, has represented a number of Iranian personalities throughout his prolonged profession, together with acclaimed movie director Jafar Panahi.