Iranian journalist goes on trial for alleged collusion with foreign powers to destabilize country.

An Iranian journalist, Elaheh Mohammadi has gone on trial behind closed doors this Monday on charges linked to her coverage of the funeral of a Kurdish-Iranian woman whose death in custody last year triggered months of unrest.

Mohammadi, a reporter for the pro-reform Hammihan newspaper who is on trial in Tehran, and another journalist, Niloofar Hamedi, of the Sharq newspaper, have been accused of “colluding with hostile powers” for their coverage of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death.

The two journalists, who have been held in Iran’s notorious Evin prison since last September, will be tried separately.

The Islamic Republic has ignored repeated calls by rights groups for a public trial for the two journalists.

Amini’s death while in custody of the morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code unleashed a wave of mass protests across Iran for months, marking the biggest challenge to Iran’s clerical leaders in decades.

The Islamic Republic had accused its foreign foes of igniting the protests to destabilize the country.