Conditional release of lawyer Soltani
Iran
On 21 November 2018 prominent human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani was conditionally released by Court order. This was reported by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
Abdolfattah Soltani is a prominent human rights lawyer, and was spokesman for the Human Rights Defenders’ Center (CHRD). He co-founded this group with Nobel Peace Prize-winner, Shirin Ebadi.
On 4 march 2012 the Islamic Revolution Court has condemned Soltani to 13 years in prison. He was convicted on charges of “propaganda against the system”, “participation in founding the Human Rights Defenders Centre”, assembly and collusion against national security” as well as “earning illegitimate assets” through receiving the Nuremberg City’s Human Rights prize in 2009. This sentence was subsequently changed first to 13, then to 10 years in prison followed by first a 10 and then a 2-year ban on practicing law.
In 2013, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (A/HRC/WGAD/2012/54) ruled that Soltani’s detention was arbitrary and requested the Iranian authorities to take the necessary steps to remedy the situation, which included his immediate release and adequate reparation.
Mr. Soltani has repeatedly gone on hunger strike to protest against his prison conditions and demand his immediate and unconditional release. On March 26, 2018, he suspended his last hunger strike – undertaken five days earlier – at the request of thousands of civil society activists who were concerned for his life.
Lawyers for Lawyers welcomes the release of Abdolfattah Soltani. We have been campaigning for the release of Mr. Soltani since his arrest. We have also campaigned for Soltani in 2006, when he was first arrested, by means of letter writing campaigns and drawing (international) attention to his situation through meetings and articles.