Iranian-American journalist testifies against men accused of murder-for-hire plot

A writer from Iran testified Tuesday successful the proceedings of 2 men accused of hiring a hitman to kidnap and termination her successful 2022 implicit her disapproval of the Iranian regime.

Mashi Alinejad testified for much than 2 hours astatine the proceedings of Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov successful national tribunal successful New York City. The men person pleaded not blameworthy to aggregate charges, including murder-for-hire. 

U.S. prosecutors accidental the execution crippled was orchestrated from Iran to halt Alinejad from speaking retired astir quality rights abuses successful her location country.

"We don't person escaped media successful Iran," she said, recounting her years covering authorities arsenic a young writer who often clashed with the country’s authorities who sought to power the quality she produced.

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Masih Alinejad blows a buss to supporters extracurricular the national courthouse aft testifying astatine the proceedings of her would-be assassins successful New York, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Alinejad moved to the United States successful 2009 pursuing Iran’s disputed statesmanlike election. In the U.S., Alinejad launched online campaigns to promote women successful Iran to airs for pictures and videos showing their hair, successful defiance of a spiritual regularisation requiring a headscarf.

Alinejad, who appeared connected the basal with curly, achromatic hair, said that successful Iran a cleric had erstwhile told her "I’m going to punch connected your look if you don’t screen your hairsbreadth proper."

Masih Alinejad greets friends and supporters extracurricular the national courthouse aft testifying astatine the proceedings of 2 men accused of allegedly plotting to termination her successful New York, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

She said authorities successful Iran person consistently tried to derail her messages by calling her a prostitute, a CIA cause oregon adjacent "an agent" of President Donald Trump.

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The dissident writer testified that aft the assassination effort was discovered, she received truthful galore threats and insults that she felt "broken a small bit."

Masih Alinejad, 48, a salient Iranian American quality rights activist, attends an interrogation with the Associated Press successful Berlin, Germany, connected Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Alinejad's grounds came a week aft a erstwhile subordinate of the Russian mob testified that helium took photographs and videos extracurricular her Brooklyn location aft helium was hired to assassinate her. Before helium could, helium was stopped by constabulary for moving a halt sign. He was arrested aft a loaded AK-47 battle firearm was recovered successful his backseat.

Defense lawyers for Amirov and Omarov person told jurors that prosecutors’ grounds was simply circumstantial and determination isn't capable impervious for a conviction.

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A justice told jurors Monday that they whitethorn commencement deliberating by the extremity of this week.

Fox News’ Grace Taggart and The Associated Press contributed to this report.