An Iranian court has handed down prison sentences to two female journalists who were arrested over a year ago while covering the in-custody death of Mahsa Amini. Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who reported on Amini's tragic death, have been sentenced to seven and six years in prison, respectively, on charges of collaborating with the United States, as reported by the judiciary news website Mizan. The sentencing can be appealed within 20 days.

Hamedi, who first broke the news of Amini's death after noticing her headscarf was too loose, and Mohammadi, who wrote about Amini's funeral, were charged with collaborating with the "hostile" American government, colluding against national security, and propaganda against the system, according to reports.

Both journalists were prominent figures in their respective reformist newspapers, Hamedi worked for Shargh, while Mohammadi worked for Ham-Mihan. Their arrests in September 2022 sparked international concern over the crackdown on freedom of the press in Iran.

The Office of the U.S. Special Envoy of Iran, responsible for developing and implementing the U.S. State Department's Iran policy, condemned the sentences, stating that Hamedi and Mohammadi should never have been jailed. They called out the Iranian regime for imprisoning journalists out of fear of the truth.

In recognition of their commitment to truth and accountability, the two journalists were awarded the United Nations' premier press freedom prize in May. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists also condemned the decision to sentence Hamedi and Mohammadi, calling for their immediate release.

Mahsa Amini's death had sparked widespread demonstrations across Iran, with protestors expressing their anger over her alleged fatal beating by the country's morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. Hamedi's and Mohammadi's reporting played a crucial role in spreading awareness about the anger and protests that followed Amini's death.

The protests, which lasted for months, posed a significant challenge to the Iranian government, comparable to the 2009 Green Movement protests. During this period, nearly 100 journalists were arrested, and the crackdown led to the deaths of at least 529 people, according to human rights activists. Over 19,700 others were detained amid the violent suppression of dissent.

International criticism has been directed towards the Iranian government for its handling of the protests and the subsequent crackdown. Despite foreign governments' attempts to shed light on the situation, Iran has not provided comprehensive casualty figures, although acknowledging the detention of tens of thousands of individuals.

The sentencing of Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi exemplifies the erosion of freedom of speech and the desperate attempts of the Iranian government to criminalize journalism. As the international community continues to condemn these actions, the calls for their immediate release grow louder.

It remains to be seen how the appeals process will unfold, but for now, the Iranian journalists' imprisonment stands as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by journalists in the pursuit of truth and transparency, particularly in repressive regimes.