2 Iranian journalists jailed for their reporting on Mahsa Amini's death are released on bail

Iranian media say two journalists serving long prison sentences over their coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini have been released on bail pending their appeal

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Two Iranian journalists who were serving long prison sentences over their coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini have been released on bail pending their appeal, Iranian media reported Sunday.

Niloufar Hamedia, who broke the news of Amini's death while in police custody for wearing her headscarf too loose, and Elaheh Mohammadi, who wrote about Amini’s funeral, were sentenced to seven and six years in prison, respectively, in October, on charges including collaborating with the U.S. government.

The two women had been in prison for 17 months. The semi-official ISNA news agency reported that they were each released on $200,000 bail and they are banned from leaving the country until the appeal is heard.

The Tehran Revolutionary Court had charged the journalists with collaborating with the American government, colluding against national security and propaganda against the system, according to the Mizanonline.ir news website, affiliated with the country’s judiciary.

Hamedi worked for the reformist newspaper Shargh, while Mohammadi worked for Ham-Mihan, also a reformist paper. They were detained in September 2022.