Jury of political and press courts found Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper guilty

The jury of the political and press courts found Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper guilty in a case involving charges of “creating discord among segments of society” and “publishing falsehoods and statements contrary to fact.” This case was formed following a criminal complaint by the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office, as well as a complaint from around 800 people and a group of residents from Kashmar County. The case concerns a note by Abbas Abdi in Etemad newspaper that was published on May 16, 2026.

• The spokesperson for the jury of the political and press courts, Akbar Nasrollahi, announced the news.
• The charges brought against Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper were “creating discord among segments of society” and “publishing falsehoods and statements contrary to fact.”
• The case was formed following a criminal complaint by the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office and complaints from around 800 people and a group of residents from Kashmar County.
• By majority vote, the jury of the political and press courts found Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper guilty.
• The jury did not consider Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper deserving of leniency in punishment.
• The case concerns Abbas Abdi’s note in Etemad newspaper dated May 16, 2026.
• A section of the note in question states: “Worse still, the majority of people will also not sympathize with decisions imposed from the street by a rent-seeking minority.”. Coverage difference: All news sources emphasized that Abbas Abdi and Etemad newspaper were found guilty by the jury of the political and press courts and highlighted the charges brought against them. Some sources, such as Shargh, explicitly noted that the jury voted by majority and did not deem the defendants deserving of leniency in punishment. Also, “Mehr (Telegram)” was the only source that referred to the exact date of the note (May 16, 2026) and part of its content.