The Law Society has condemned the arrest, detention and ill treatment of Human Rights Lawyers in Iran and called for Iranian protestors to have their basic human right of access to a lawyer
The Law Society of England & Wales in conjunction with Lawyers for Lawyers will publish it’s condemnation of the treatment of lawyers in Iran by the Government, following the public outcry over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.
In their intervention letter the Law Society of England & Wales set out three specific immediate steps which must be taken to secure the safety & welfare of lawyers in Iran who had been representing protestors arrested by the Government. The Law Society has called on the Iranian authorities to:
Immediately and unconditionally release all lawyers who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained and drop any charges against them;
Pending their release, to guarantee the psychological and physical integrity of the lawyers and comply with international standards on conditions of detention; and
Guarantee that all lawyers in Iran are able to carry out their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance or improper interference.
Two of the lawyers, Milad Panahipour & Saeed Jalilian were arrested as they attended the Revolutionary Court at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison alongside their client Hossein Ronaghi. They were subjected to assaults and public beatings during the arrest and subsequently transported to Evin prison by ambulance.
It is reported that Hossein Ronaghi has been subjected to inhumane treatment in Evin prison resulting in both of his legs being broken and that he continues to be abused and refused access to medical treatment or legal representation of his choice. The fate of Milad Panahipour and Saeed Jalalian is unknown but both are believed to be held in Evin prison.