Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad came face-to-face on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom with the men whom her native country’s government allegedly hired to kidnap and assassinate her in Brooklyn in 2002.
The tense encounter came as Alinejad testified inside of the federal court at 500 Pearl Street in the cases of Polad Omarov and Rafat Amirov, both from a town near the Iran/Azerbaijan border, who are accused of being involved in the plot.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen them face to face,” Kambiz Foroohar, Alinejad’s husband, told amNewYork Metro. ”It’s quite strange to see the people who wanted to kill you right across from you, and being defended by public defenders.”
The trial has also included testimony from Khalid Mehdiyev, who has pleaded guilty to a slew of charges, including attempted murder, while also admitting he was hired by the Iranian government to murder Alinejad.
Mehdiyev was spotted on July 28, 2022, peering through the windows of her Brooklyn home, where he took video and photo surveillance. He was later stopped by police not far from the residence while driving without a license. Inside his car, cops found a loaded AK-47 assault rifle. This was not the first time she had faced dangers in her life.
After being highly critical of the Iranian government, Alinejad became a citizen of the United States and settled in Brooklyn in 2019. According to the Associated Press, Alinejad became a target of Iran after she advocated for women’s rights and spurred women in Iran to share messages and videos of women protesting the regime by refusing to wear head coverings, or hijabs, in public in Iran.
She even penned a memoir, “The Wind in My Hair,” which has since become a New York Times bestseller.
The exact part Omarov and Amirov played in the murder ploy remains unclear.
After testifying, Alinejad met with friends and supporters outside the Manhattan court. Appearing with her characteristic flower in her hair, she embraced those who stood by her, yet her attorney prevented her from making any comments to the press.
Despite the numerous attempts and threats on her life, Foroohar charged that it had done nothing to dampen Alinejad’s drive for advocacy.
“She is very strong, and she will continue her work — it’s not going to stop her. It has been an ordeal waiting for this chance,” Foroohar said. “This will not deter her. No, we’re going to continue even stronger.”
Alinejad’s advocacy has earned her numerous accolades, including Time’s Woman of the Year, the American Jewish Committee’s Moral Courage Award, the Oxi Courage Award, and John S. McCain’s Freedom Award.
