Renowned Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi announced her decision to not attend her trial session on Tuesday. Mohammadi, who is currently imprisoned, made the announcement on her Instagram account, where she referred to the Revolutionary Court as the “slaughterhouse of the youth” and stated her refusal to participate in a judicial system influenced by security institutions and extrajudicial elements.
Mohammadi’s decision is based on various 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 trial was announced on December 10, with the session scheduled for December 19, which would be Mohammadi’s first trial since receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
This is Mohammadi’s third trial, with recent proceedings focusing on her activities within the prison and her anti-government statements. In her Instagram post, she referred to the prison as the “stronghold of the despotic government,” asserting that such methods have failed to suppress the determination of courageous prisoners.
In her previous two cases, 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, described the latest prosecution against Mohammadi as 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.