Iran Detains a Lawyer Who Criticized 2022 Crackdown Following Mahsa Amini's Death

Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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Iran Detains a Lawyer Who Criticized 2022 Crackdown Following Mahsa Amini's Death

Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

An outspoken Iranian lawyer who has publicly criticized how the government handled the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini has been arrested, state media reported Sunday.
The unrest followed the death of the 22-year-old detained by the police for allegedly not properly wearing her mandatory headscarf. The massive protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran’s four-decade theocracy, The Associated Press said.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency said Sunday that Mohsen Borhani had been previously sentenced but did not give further details on his case or jail time.
Borhani, also a university professor, became popular on social media for his critical views of the Iranian government during the 2022 demonstrations that shook Iran and sparked a security crackdown that killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. UN investigators said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Amini's death.
The lawyer's arrest came a day after reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian was elected to lead the country.
Pezeshkian promised to reach out to the West after years of sanctions and protests squeezing his country.



Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks
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Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said progress was being made regarding the return of the hostages being held in Gaza and that he was dealing with both Israel and Hamas, but he gave no other details about the talks.

Israel resumed its war against Hamas in Gaza last month after an eight-week ceasefire collapsed. The ceasefire brought a much-needed reprieve from the fighting to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and sent an infusion of humanitarian aid to the territory. It also led to the release of 25 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the return of the remains of eight others, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Mediators have since attempted to bring the sides to a bridging agreement that would again pause the war, free hostages and open the door for talks on the war's end, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he won't agree to until Hamas is defeated. Hamas wants the war to end before it frees the remaining 59 hostages it holds, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
The war, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, has seen the deadliest fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in their history. It has ignited a humanitarian crisis in already impoverished Gaza, and has sent shockwaves across the region and beyond.