Iran

Suppression of Lawyers

The lawyers affected are arrested, prosecuted or face disciplinary action by the Bar Association. Lawyers are prosecuted, the charge often is “acting against national security” or “spreading propaganda against the regime”. It can happen that a conviction of a lawyer in a trial is linked to disciplinary measures, in particular by withdrawing the right to act as a lawyer.

Legal practice in Iran

The position of the Iranian Bar Association is governed by the Act on the Independence of the Bar Association. Despite this law, Iran is characterised by a major political influence of the government on the Bar Association. This is illustrated by the fact that the body  authorised by law to provide licences to lawyers is under the control of the Supreme Leader. Furthermore, many cases showed that lawyers were hampered in the practice of their profession and received no aid from their professional association.

International human rights treaties

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966, without reservations)

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966, without reservations)

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966, without reservations)

Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989, without reservations)

Activities of L4L

March 2015: oral statement on Iran before the Human Rights Council
February 2015: letter to president Iran to celebrate Iran Lawyers Day
October 2014: UPR pre-sessions: attended the pre-sessions of the UPR session for Iran (Geneve); submitted paper and distributed the paper to relevant embassies and organisations
May 2014: report on position of lawyers in Iran to Human rights council
2014: Draft commentary on the bill on lawyers
November 2013: distributed video message from Narin Sotoudeh
2012: protest in front of Iranian embassy for Nasrin Sotoudeh, because she was in hunger protest to improve prison conditions (released in 2013)

Letter writing campaigns:
Javid Houtan Kian (2012)
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah (July 2011)
Nasrin Sotoudeh (December 2010)
Houtan Kian and Nasrin Sotoudeh (October 2010)
Nasrin Sotoudeh (September 2010)
Mohammad Mostafaei (July 2010)
Shadi Sadr (June 2010)
Maryam Ghanbari (February 2010)
Shirin Ebadi, Abdolfattah Soltani, Mohamma Mostafaei (July 2009)
Shirin Ebadi and Nasrin Sotoudeh (January 2009)