Minoo Khaleghi () is an Iranian jurist and reformist activist. In the 2016 parliamentary elections, Khaleghi won a seat, however she was disqualified by the Guardian Council after the election.
Khaleghi was born in 1985, in Isfahan. She comes from a well-known family, whose uncle âÂÂNasser Khaleghiâ served in the Cabinet of President Mohammad Khatami. A graduate of University of Isfahan and Allameh Tabataba'i University in Law, she is now a PhD Candidate at Islamic Azad University's Tehran Science and Research Branch. Her fields of expertize include public and communications law. She has been a journalist in local media and an activist in local non-governmental organizations with a focus on women's rights and environmentalism. Khaleghi is also a member of "natural resources and climate change committee", Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines & AgricultureâÂÂIsfahan.
Backed by the moderateâÂÂreformist List of Hope, she received the third-highest vote in Isfahan County and was elected as a member of the parliament. In an interview with the Financial Times, she said her aim is "to fight for the rights of women who head families and increase the support they get from the law".
The election results were as follows:
On 20 March 2016, the last day of the Iranian calendar year, right before Nowruz, the Guardian Council ruled that Minoo Khaleghi couldnâÂÂt take her seat because her votes are âÂÂnull and voidâÂÂ, and didnâÂÂt give a reason for ruling her out. In an open letter, Khaleghi said she had not met any council members in the days prior to or following the election, and she rejected âÂÂboundless rumorsâ which questioned her âÂÂdignity and characterâ as a Muslim. According to rumors quoted in multiple Iranian sources, she was disqualified because of an alleged photo of her without wearing hijab, or shaking hands with a non-mahram man.
On 15 May 2016 Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, the prosecutor general of Tehran, said she has been summoned to the court to "explain about charges against her".