Iranian journo goes on trial

Iran yesterday held the first trial session for one of the two detained female journalists who reported on Mahsa Amini's death in custody last year, her lawyer said.

Months of nationwide protests erupted after Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died on September 16 following her arrest for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code for women.

The journalists, Niloufar Hamedi, 30, and Elaheh Mohammadi, 36, could face the death penalty after they were detained for covering Amini's death and its aftermath.

The pair are being tried separately by the revolutionary courts behind closed doors in Tehran. Mohammadi's trial began yesterday and Hamedi's is scheduled to start the following day.

Mohammadi's lawyer described the session as "good and positive", telling AFP that the next court date would be confirmed later. Mohammadi, a journalist at Ham Miham, was taken into custody on September 29 after she travelled to Amini's hometown of Saqez in Kurdistan province to report on her funeral ceremony.