Nargis Mohammadi, the prominent human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, is set to face a new trial, her family announced on Saturday, May 18. The trial, scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 19, comes in the wake of allegations made by Mohammadi regarding the sexual assault of female inmates by security forces in Iran's prisons.

Mohammadi, who has already spent over 12 years in prison on various convictions, is accused in this latest case of running "propaganda against the regime." These accusations stem from her outspoken criticism of the treatment of women in Iran, a stance that she highlighted in an audio recording sent from jail in April. In this recording, which quickly spread among her supporters, Mohammadi condemned what she described as a "full-scale war" on women in Iran.

Despite the gravity of the accusations and the significance of the upcoming trial, Iran's judicial authorities have not provided any official comments. Mohammadi's family has called for the trial to be held publicly, emphasizing that such transparency would allow witnesses and victims to testify openly about the state's sexual harassment of women.

Nargis Mohammadi, 51, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for her relentless fight against the oppression of women in Iran. She has been imprisoned since November 2021, and her ongoing incarceration and new trial highlight the continued challenges faced by human rights defenders in the country.

As the trial approaches, the international community and human rights organizations are closely monitoring the situation, advocating for justice and transparency in the proceedings against Mohammadi.