Two female journalists, Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, imprisoned since 2022 for their coverage of Mahsa Amini's death in police custody, have been pardoned, the Iranian Judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, announced on February 11.

Hamedi and Mohammadi were initially sentenced to 13 and 12 years in prison, respectively, by a Revolutionary Court in October 2023 in what was seen by many as politically motivated. 

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died on September 16, 2022, in a Tehran hospital following her arrest by Iran's morality police for an alleged breach of hijab regulations, sparking nationwide protests that rapidly escalated into a broader challenge to the country's leadership. Their reporting on Amini's death, which occurred while she was in the custody of the hijab police for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code, ignited nationwide protests that lasted for months. The protests resulted in hundreds of deaths in clashes with security forces and the subsequent execution of at least nine individuals.

The journalists were later acquitted of the charge of "collaboration with the US" in a 2024 appeal court ruling and were released on bail after 17 months in detention.

However, they still faced charges of "colluding against national security" and "propaganda against the regime."

According to the Judiciary, the two journalists wrote a letter to the Head of the Judiciary expressing remorse and requesting a pardon.

Mizan reported that the Head of the Judiciary agreed to refer their cases to the Pardon Commission. Following review by the Tehran Provincial Judiciary and the Provincial Pardon Commission, the cases were forwarded to the Central Amnesty Commission with a favourable recommendation.

After review and approval by the Central Amnesty Commission, their names were included in the pardon list submitted to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution's victory (February 10).

"Following the approval by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of a list of pardons that was prepared by the judiciary's head, these individuals were pardoned," Mizan reported.

“The Supreme Leader subsequently approved the list, resulting in the pardon of the two journalists,” the judiciary agency said.