A Collective Request from Civil Activists for the Release of Abdolfattah Soltani

A group of civil and social activists has written a letter to the head of the judiciary, calling for the release of Abdolfattah Soltani, a lawyer and human rights activist. The text of this letter was published on Saturday, September 27, on the 'Kalemeh' website, and the signatories have requested a 'special intervention' from Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, in Mr. Soltani's case. In this letter, Soltani's conditions are described as 'special,' and the head of the judiciary is urged to facilitate the release of this lawyer, considering the 'current conditions of the country and the urgent need for solidarity and unity in the sensitive regional situation.' The letter states that since Soltani has 'served more than half of his sentence,' he is therefore 'eligible for parole.' The civil and social activists also mentioned that Soltani's physical condition is 'poor and requires specialized medical services.' Furthermore, the letter refers to the 'unlawfulness' of one of the rulings in this lawyer's case, as determined by four judges who are awaiting the judiciary chief's review. This letter is part of a campaign for Abdolfattah Soltani's release, and according to Kalemeh, the collection of signatures for it is still ongoing. Abdolfattah Soltani, a member of the Supreme Supervisory Council of the Human Rights Defenders Association, has been imprisoned since September 2011, and his requests for retrial and release have so far been unsuccessful. Initially, Mr. Soltani was sentenced to 18 years in prison and a 20-year ban from practicing law, which was later reduced to 13 years on appeal. Following the application of Article 134, his sentence was ultimately reduced to 10 years in prison and a two-year ban from practicing law; however, despite having served half of his sentence, his release has not yet been granted. 'Participation in the establishment of the Human Rights Defenders Association and discussions with the media' regarding his clients' cases are among the charges against Soltani. Abolfazl Ghadiyani, a former prisoner and civil activist, also reacted to Soltani's continued imprisonment by stating in a letter that 'Soltani, who should have been released about two years ago by law, is still in prison due to the illegal actions of the Revolutionary Courts.' Ghadiyani added, 'His admirable resistance in defending the legal rights of the people and political prisoners has enraged the agents of tyranny, and for this reason, they have targeted him with their malice and vengeance.' Maedeh Soltani, Abdolfattah Soltani's daughter, expressed regret that her father's request for parole has not yet been approved, stating that according to lawyers, her father meets the legal conditions for release. She told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that so far, 'for unspecified reasons, judicial authorities have not responded to this request.' She added, 'My father has been in prison for five years. He suffers from gastrointestinal diseases, a herniated disc, fluctuating blood pressure, and heart disease.' According to Article 58 of the Islamic Penal Code, the sentencing court can issue a parole ruling for convicts sentenced to more than 10 years after serving half or one-third of their sentence.