41 Lawyers In Iran Arrested In Past Year Under Ongoing Suppression

In the past year, 41 Iranian lawyers have been arrested amid ongoing government crackdowns on dissent.

A report published by the Vokalapress website, a specialized news platform focusing on the legal profession of judicial lawyers in Iran, disclosed a list of lawyers who encountered summonses, arrests, criminal convictions, or prolonged imprisonment over the past year (ending in March).

Notable among the lawyers listed are Nasrin Sotoudeh and Saleh Nikbakht.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a renowned human rights lawyer in Iran, has represented various opposition activists, politicians, and women arrested for violating Iran's mandatory hijab law.

In 2021, she was recognized as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Despite her contributions to human rights advocacy, Sotoudeh has faced harassment and was released on a medical furlough in July 2021.

Saleh Nikbakht, known as the family attorney of Mahsa Amini, received a severe sentence from an Iranian court for allegedly engaging in “propaganda against the regime.”

Amini's case garnered attention after she died from severe head injuries sustained while in detention for a hijab defiance. Nikbakht's summons came six months after Amini's death.

The report emphasizes the precarious position of lawyers, who encounter various risks and dangers, including prosecution, arrest, psychological and physical violence, harassment, and threats against their families.

The government's crackdown on civil, political, and protest activists has intensified following nationwide protests against the regime in September 2022, highlighting the broader context of repression faced by those advocating for human rights and justice in Iran.