Iranian dissident describes facing her would-be assassin in court: "It is not easy"

An Iranian dissident who survived an assassination attempt on her life is now facing her would-be killer in court, and it's proving to be a harrowing experience for the 52-year-old activist. Masih Alinejad, a prominent women's rights advocate and CBS News contributor, has been testifying against Carslile Rivera, a Brooklyn man who was allegedly hired by an Iranian operative to kill her for $100,000.

According to prosecutors, Rivera may not have known his role in the plot when he accepted the offer. However, Alinejad is adamant that she's seen him before, and their paths have crossed several times. As she recounts the events leading up to the attempted assassination, it becomes clear just how difficult this ordeal has been for her.

Alinejad describes her experiences with Rivera as "unbelievable" and "surreal." She claims to have recognized him in a hotel lobby, where he allegedly whispered in her ear before leaving. The encounter left Alinejad shaken, but she was determined to stay vigilant and continue fighting for women's rights.

As the trial progresses, it's becoming increasingly clear that Alinejad has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Rivera during their encounters. She describes how he would often ask her about her work and listen intently as she spoke, making her feel like he was gathering information on her. This behavior has left Alinejad feeling anxious and on edge.

Despite the challenges of testifying against her alleged killer, Alinejad remains resolute in her pursuit of justice. Her bravery and determination serve as a powerful reminder of the risks that women's rights activists face around the world. As she shares her story with us today, it's clear that this ordeal has left its mark, but Alinejad is far from defeated.

In court, Alinejad's words paint a vivid picture of the man she says tried to kill her – a person driven by a desire for money and a lack of regard for human life. The trial may be a long way off, but with every passing day, Alinejad feels like justice is within reach.
 
Man this woman Masih Alinejad is going through so much she just wants to finish her testimony and get on with her life 🀯 But the fact that she's having to relive all these terrifying moments in court is just cruel πŸ’” I feel for her, you know? She's been fighting for women's rights and now this guy tries to kill her for $100k πŸ’Έ It's like he didn't even care about human life or anything πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ The trial can't come soon enough so she can finally get some closure 😴
 
ugh this guy's testimony is giving me LIFE πŸ€£πŸ‘€ like how does one even know they're gonna get paid 100k to kill someone? sounds like a super legit and not-at-all sketchy gig πŸ€‘. seriously though, I can only imagine how freaked out Masih Alinejad must be re-walking into this guy's face again in court... that's some serious PTSD stuff right there πŸ’”. and honestly, 100k is just insane - like, what are we even doing to our society at this point? 🀯
 
πŸ˜©πŸ‘€ this is just another example of how many ppl are willing to sell their souls for a quick buck πŸ’Έ and let ppl like Masih Alinejad suffer πŸ€• for it... I mean who tries to kill someone & then expects them 2 testify against them in court? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ it's just so messed up 😞
 
I'm so sure this whole thing is just one big setup πŸ€”. I mean, come on, $100,000 to take someone out? That's just crazy talk πŸ’Έ. And Masih Alinejad, she's just trying to get attention with her "unbelievable" and "surreal" stories πŸ˜’. I bet Rivera didn't even know what he was getting himself into when he took that deal πŸ€‘. And now she's just using this trial as a way to gain more followers and fame πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. It's all about the publicity for me, not justice or anything like that πŸ™„.
 
πŸ€• this whole thing is just so messed up... i mean, can you even imagine walking into a hotel lobby and having some stranger whisper in your ear? it's like something out of a bad movie, right? πŸŽ₯ but seriously, masih alinejad's story is just heartbreaking. she's been through so much already, and now she has to relive the trauma of that day in court... it's just cruel.

i think what's really striking about this whole situation is how normalized Rivera's behavior seems to have become for Alinejad over time. like, he was able to gather info on her without her even realizing it? that's some seriously creepy stuff. and the fact that she feels anxious and on edge around him... it's just so sad.

anyway, i do think it's amazing that Alinejad is still standing strong and fighting for justice. it's not easy, of course, but she's doing it for all the women who can't speak out for themselves. πŸ’ͺ
 
Ugh this is so sad πŸ€•... Masih's bravery is inspiring 😍, I mean who wants to testify against their alleged killer in court? It's like she's reliving the trauma all over again 😩. And what really gets me is how anxious and on edge she feels when talking about her encounters with Rivera 😬. I can imagine it's not easy for her to keep calm while recounting those terrifying moments 🀯. But you know what? Her determination and resilience are truly admirable πŸ’ͺ... I mean, who else would risk everything like that to bring a killer to justice? πŸ™Œ It's like she's saying, "You can't silence me, not even with your money and threats" πŸ’ΌπŸ‘Š
 
πŸ€• This whole thing is just so messed up. I mean, Masih Alinejad's been through hell and back already, what's she gonna need when it comes down to this guy? 😩 She's talking about seeing him around before, and how he's always asking her questions... like, what if he's not even trying to pretend to care, but he's just gathering info on her for the hit job. 🀯 And $100k? Like, come on! That's cold. πŸ’Έ Anyway, I got a lot of respect for her though - she's still going strong, and that takes a lot of guts. πŸ’ͺ
 
I don’t usually comment on super sensitive topics like this, but... it's just so sad that Masih has to go through all this trauma again πŸ€•. I mean, I can understand why she'd be shaken by the experience with Rivera in the hotel lobby - who wouldn't be? 😱 It's like, your life is being threatened for $100k... what even is that?! πŸ’Έ

And it's not just the physical threat that's the problem, it's the mental game he's playing with her too. Like, she says he was gathering info on her and made her feel anxious and on edge... that's just not cool πŸ™„. I don't know how someone can do that to another human being.

But what I do think is really inspiring is Masih's refusal to back down. She's still fighting for justice and standing up for women's rights, even in the face of all this adversity πŸ’ͺ. It's like, she's not just a victim here... she's a survivor, and that's something we should all be cheering about πŸŽ‰.
 
I'm literally shaking thinking about this poor woman! 100k dollars to try and kill someone over women's rights? It's just...wow πŸ€―πŸ’” Like, what's wrong with people?! Masih Alinejad deserves so much more than this - she's a hero for even trying to make a difference in the world. And now she's having to relive all these traumatic experiences in court? Ugh, my heart is breaking thinking about her 😭. I wish there was a way to just... erase this person from existence and move on. But at least justice seems like it's within reach, which gives me some hope πŸ™πŸ’«
 
I'm still trying to process the stats on global women's rights activists vs assassins... 2024 saw 127 reported cases of women's rights advocates being targeted or killed, and that number has only increased in the first half of 2025 πŸš¨πŸ’”. It's heartbreaking but we gotta keep pushing forward.

Did you know the average age of a woman's rights activist is now 42? 🀯 That's nearly 10 years older than the average global lifespan! The risks are real, folks. πŸ’Έ

According to my research, only about 15% of women's rights activists manage to testify against their alleged killers in court. And let me tell you, Masih Alinejad is giving those numbers a run for their money πŸ†πŸ’ͺ.

The number of countries with female heads of state has reached an all-time high – 34 nations! πŸŒŽπŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό This shift towards more women leaders is a beacon of hope in the fight for equality.

A quick glance at Google Trends shows that searches for 'women's rights' have increased by 27% in the past year alone πŸ”. We're seeing a surge in activism and awareness, which is amazing to see 🌈
 
I'm thinking about Masih Alinejad's case and it's just crazy 🀯 how far she's had to go for her own survival. I mean, $100,000? That's a lot of money to be willing to put on someone's life for! 😱 And the fact that Rivera might not have known what he was getting himself into is still not making it any better. It just goes to show how easily people can get caught up in something like this and lose sight of humanity.

I feel so bad for her, going through all this stress and anxiety just to testify against someone who's clearly lost their way. But at the same time, I have to give it to her - she's a total boss πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. Her bravery is inspiring, even in the face of such adversity. And let's be real, it's not like we don't know about the risks that women's rights activists take when they speak out against injustice... 🀝
 
πŸ’– I'm sending all my love and support to Masih 🌹! This ordeal has been so harrowing for her, and it's amazing she's still standing strong πŸ’ͺ🏼. Her bravery is truly inspiring, and I have no doubt that she'll see justice served πŸ™. It's heartbreaking to think about how this would-be killer was willing to take someone's life over $100k 😒, but Alinejad's courage in the face of fear is a shining example for all us πŸ’«. Can't wait to hear more about this trial and the outcome 🀞!
 
[Image of a woman looking nervous in a courtroom, with a red "X" marked through it]

[Image of a person trying to buy a ticket, with a price tag on it: $100k]

[Meme of a woman holding a sign that says "I'm not going down without a fight"]

[A GIF of a person getting increasingly anxious, with a clock ticking in the background]

[Image of a person being interrogated, with a magnifying glass hovering over their head]

[Image of Masih Alinejad looking determined, with a fire emoji next to her]
 
can't believe how unfairly masih's being treated πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ she's always been so vocal about women's rights and now her own security team thinks she's just paranoid? πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ i mean, i get it, the situation's intense, but has she really seen carslile rivera before multiple times?! πŸ˜’ still, you gotta admire her spunk for keeping on fighting πŸ’ͺ & honestly, who wouldn't wanna take down someone willing to pay $100k to kill another human being? πŸ’Έ sounds like a pretty straightforward motive to me πŸ€‘
 
🀯 I'm keeping an eye on this case - sounds super intense! As a fact-checker, I've been digging into Masih Alinejad's background and it seems she has a pretty solid track record of exposing human rights abuses in Iran. If what she's saying about Carslile Rivera is true, it would be a major blow to his defense team... πŸ€” But what really gets me is how vulnerable Alinejad feels during these encounters - like she's walking on eggshells, never knowing when he'll show up and try to hurt her again. Her bravery is admirable, but I hope the justice system can provide her with some much-needed closure soon! πŸ’Ό
 
😱 can't believe what's happening in this trial... Masih is going through so much emotional pain & trauma πŸ’” it's heartbreaking to see her being re-traumatized just to testify against her alleged killer 🀯 meanwhile, the guy's lawyer is trying to spin his client's actions as if they were just a "business deal" πŸ€‘ are we seriously saying that someone can hire another person to kill you for $100k and it's justifiable? 😑 this case needs to be solved ASAP so Masih can finally find some peace
 
😬 I'm so sorry to hear Masih is going through this. It's like she's living in a nightmare where she has to relive the moments when Carslile approached her, trying to keep her cool under pressure. It's heartbreaking thinking that someone could be so calculating & heartless for cash πŸ’Έ. As a fan of hers, it's hard not to feel frustrated that justice is taking its time. Alinejad seems like an incredible woman who's been through hell & back, but still manages to fight on πŸ’ͺ. I just hope the trial moves forward at a decent pace so she can finally find closure πŸ™.
 
Ugh 🀯 I'm so worried about Masih Alinejad right now... She's been through so much already & now having to face her alleged killer in court? That must be really tough for her πŸ’”. I mean, I know she's a strong advocate for women's rights and all, but still... The thought of her being targeted like that is just heartbreaking 😭. And what's even more disturbing is that this guy was allegedly hired to kill her for $100k πŸ€‘. Like, what kind of person does that? Rivera may not have known the details, but the fact remains that he took on the job anyway... It's just crazy πŸ€ͺ.

I'm loving how Alinejad is staying resolute though πŸ’ͺ. She's not going to let this guy break her spirit or make her feel like she's failed in any way. And I think it's so important that she's sharing her story with us, so we can all be reminded of the risks women's rights activists face worldwide 🌎. We need more people like Alinejad who aren't afraid to speak out and fight for what's right πŸ’«.

Has anyone else been following this case? It's definitely got my attention... I mean, how does it even work that a guy gets hired to kill someone & then expected to testify against them in court? πŸ€”
 
omg u can't even imagine how scary this must be 4 masih she's already been thru so much & now havin to testify against the person who tried 2 kill her its like relivin a nightmare daily life as an activist isnt easy but Alinejad still kickin & fightin 4 justice
 
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