Iranian Lawyers Protest Controversial Parliamentary Resolution

Controversy has erupted within the legal community in Iran as attorney license authority moves away from independent bar associations to the government.

During an open session of parliament on Monday, a new clause was passed into the resolution, compelling bar associations to adhere to decisions made by the Regulatory Board of the Ministry of Economy.

Lawyers across the country are outraged at this decision. Hassan Safadoust, head of the Central Bar Association, said, "The parliamentary resolution granting authority to the Ministry of Economy for issuing, extending, and revoking attorney licenses runs contrary to international legal norms, documents, and agreements."

In defiance, the board of directors of the Alborz Bar Association unanimously announced the cancellation of its scheduled activities.

Numerous lawyers have highlighted that the "parliamentary resolution pertaining to bar associations contradicts overarching judiciary policies."

Ali Pazouki, head of the Zanjan Bar Association, warned that the resolution could have irrevocable implications for the country, transforming the judicial system into a "commercial enterprise" and lawyers into "illicit traders and delinquents."

Mohammad Shivaei, a lawyer and member of the Central Bar Association, expressed his concerns on the social networking site X (formerly known as Twitter), stating that the parliamentary resolution relinquishes the authority of the legal profession and the right to defense to the government and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The Bar Association, as a long-standing professional and legal institution in Iran spanning four decades, has consistently encountered pressures from governmental bodies and the judiciary, resulting in gradual diminishment of its autonomy and authority through the enactment of various laws.