Iranian Journalist Shiva Nazar-Ahari's Trial Includes 'Warring Against God' Charges

Beyond the Veil| Iranian human rights activist and female journalist Shiva Nazar-Ahari, 26, went on trial in Tehran over the weekend on charges including ‘warring against God,’ which can carry a death sentence.

An opposition website kaleme.com, of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the prominent Iranian opposition leader, said said that Nazar-Ahari had been charged with links to the exiled People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI). Shiva Nazar-Ahari says she is ‘repulsed’ by PMOI and denies any links with them.

Al Jazeera reports that the activist was first arrested in June 2009, released on bail after three months, and then re-arrested in December when travelling to attend the funeral of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, a dissident religious leader, in the city of Qom.

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the Middle East co-ordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, told Al Jazeera from New York: “These charges frankly bear all the hallmarks of a politicised trial.”

“Ms Ahari is one of a number of journalists who are being charged with Moharebeh and this is the first time in history that journalists are being charged with a capital crime such as this. via Al Jazeera

Choosing to wear the color green in Iran does make an international statement.