By Emily Caulkett-
The Law Society, together with Lawyers for Lawyers, today calls on the Iranian government to halt the unjustified arrest, detention and ill treatment of lawyers in the country. Iran’s human right’s record is despicable, as the country persistently breaks international laws and its own laws., arresting lawyers and those who legally challenge the status quo.
In 2021, four lawyers were preparing to file a lawsuit against state officials for their gross mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic were arrested by judicial agents and pressured to drop the lawsuit before they could file it. The lawyers at the time were preparing to file a lawsuit against state officials for their gross mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic but were arrested by judicial agents and pressured to drop the lawsuit before they could file it. the authorities continue to arrest those who act against their interest.
Recently, even celebrities in the country have found themselves targeted for arrest, have had passports confiscated and faced other harassment.
Among the most notable cases is that of singer Shervin Hajipour, whose song “For…” has become an anthem for the protest movement, which erupted September 17 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was arrested for not abiding by the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
Nationwide protests in Iran began on 16 September, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in a hospital in Tehran after being arrested by the Guidance Patrol (also known as the ‘morality police’) for wearing an ‘improper hijab’. The government has blamed the protests on ‘foreign agents’. The latest apparent escalation over the weekend was a fire and reports of shootings at Evin Prison in north Tehran.
The Law Society expressed particular concern about the welfare of a number of lawyers who are being violently arrested, transported to prisons, and ill-treated.
Society president Lubna Shuja said: ‘Some of these lawyers are being held in solitary confinement, at notorious prison wards known for incidents of torture, or their whereabouts are unknown. No charges have been brought or published against them and they have had no access to a lawyer or visits from relatives.
‘Access to a legal representative is a right established in Iranian law, as well as international law, and has to be respected and guaranteed,’ she said.
The arrest and detention of these lawyers are the latest incidents in a continuing crackdown on lawyers. Over the past five years, Iranian authorities have prosecuted, convicted, and detained many, including lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, for their peaceful opposition to compulsory hijab laws.
Shuja added: ‘To fulfil their professional duties effectively, lawyers should be able to practice their profession safely and should be free from improper interference and fear of reprisals. This widespread arrest of lawyers makes legal representation impossible. It prevents the functioning of administration of justice and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.’
The statement continued: ‘The Law Society calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all lawyers who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained and drop any charges against them, as well as to ensure their psychological and physical integrity pending such release.’
Nationwide protests in Iran began on 16 September, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in a hospital in Tehran after being arrested by the Guidance Patrol (also known as the ‘morality police’) for wearing an ‘improper hijab’. The government has blamed the protests on ‘foreign agents’. The latest apparent escalation over the weekend was a fire and reports of shootings at Evin Prison in north Tehran.