On November 25, 2024, Iranian authorities released a 17-year-old girl, Negar Debaghi, after 12 days of detention for allegedly writing anti-government slogans in Tabriz, a city in northwest Iran.

Despite her release, she remains under the threat of trial, facing potentially severe penalties.

The legal proceedings against Debaghi have been paused, with assurances from authorities regarding the safety of her and her family. Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has highlighted that the charges against Debaghi pertain to her rights to free expression and peaceful protest.

Debaghi is charged with multiple offenses, including "inciting public unrest against internal and external security, insulting Islam, engaging in propaganda against the state, and disrespecting the leaders Ali Khamenei and Ruhollah Khomeini."

In a video shared on her social media, Debaghi confirmed her release on bail and expressed her determination to resist government pressures, stating, "the accused showed no remorse."

Debaghi was arrested on November 13, 2024, by security forces. Following an investigation by the public prosecutor, she was held at Tabriz Central Prison until her release on bail set at 400 million Tomans (approximately $6,300). She now awaits her trial.

This incident occurs against the backdrop of the ongoing "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests that began in 2022, during which Iranian authorities have intensified efforts to suppress dissent. Early reports from the protests indicated that 470 individuals, including 64 children, were killed, while approximately 18,200 were arrested. Additionally, 61 security personnel lost their lives amid the unrest.

In the past two years, many have faced interrogation, arrest, and torture, as well as unfair trials and harsh sentences for exercising their fundamental rights through peaceful means.

In light of these developments, Women Journalists Without Chains has issued several urgent calls:

• An immediate halt to the legal proceedings against Debaghi and the release of all political prisoners involved in the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests.
• The abolition of discriminatory laws against women and the facilitation of student movements to express their views on local laws affecting their lives.
• A plea to the international community to apply pressure on Iranian authorities to cease the ongoing crackdown on dissent.