German woman faces 'security charge' in Iran: daughter

A German-Iranian national held in Iran faces a "security charge", her daughter said as a court held a first hearing in the case on Wednesday. 

Nahid Taghavi, 66, was arrested at her Tehran apartment on October 16 after years fighting for human rights in Iran, in particular for women's rights and freedom of expression, according to the rights group IGFM.

"Today was the first hearing of #NahidTaghavi Another trial day is scheduled, date unknown," her daughter Mariam Claren wrote on Twitter.

"My mother was allowed to see her brothers. They hugged her. Her first hug after almost seven months."

Taghavi's brothers were not allowed in the hearing but were given access to her, Claren said. 

"She is accused of a 'security charge'," Claren told AFP, adding that details were hazy but that it related to "propaganda against the state".

Claren said her mother, an architect, had been held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, and has been placed in isolation in the last four weeks.

"My biggest worry is her health," she said.

Claren said her mother's lawyer had only been given access to the charge sheet on Saturday and had yet to see the case files.

Germany's foreign ministry said in October that it was aware of the arrest of a German-Iranian woman in Iran, but did not name the detained citizen.