Khosrow Alikordi Rejects Khamenei's Claim About No Pressure on Government Opponents

Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer sentenced to imprisonment, rejected Ali Khamenei's claim that individuals are not under pressure due to their opposition to the government in the Islamic Republic. On Friday, February 16, Alikordi emphasized in a message addressed to the Supreme Leader that he has been sentenced to imprisonment, exile, and social deprivation merely for informing about the cases of his clients. Khamenei has repeatedly claimed the existence of freedom of expression in Iran. For instance, in his speech on March 21, 2018, he stated: 'No one in the Islamic Republic is pursued or pressured for opposing the government's thoughts and opinions.' This lawyer, who has represented Fatemeh Sepahri and the family of the bereaved Abolfazl Adinehzadeh, mentioned in part of his message that Judge Hadi Mansouri has sentenced many critics and political opponents to imprisonment and social deprivation. He has recently filed complaints against Hadi Mansouri and Hossein Yazdankhah, heads of the first and fifth branches of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad, for 'preventing the defense of the selected lawyer of a political defendant in court sessions,' and against Mohsen Golmohammadi Tolouei, an investigator, for 'bias against the lawyer.' Alikordi announced that on Saturday, February 17, he will be transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to serve a one-year sentence for 'unjust imprisonment.' In his recent message, he described the multiple 'case fabrications' against him as 'lacking any legal evidence' and based on 'malice and intent to harass.' He stated that as a sign of protest, he has not participated in any of the judicial proceedings and will not appeal the rulings against him. Khosrow Alikordi has previously been accused in two cases of 'propaganda against the regime,' 'disclosure of secrets,' and 'spreading falsehoods.' This imprisoned lawyer had previously emphasized in an interview with Voice of America that the Islamic Republic has a fundamental problem with the independence of the legal profession from the government and the judiciary and does not tolerate independent lawyers. A group of United Nations experts expressed serious concern on January 22, ahead of 'International Day of Lawyers at Risk,' about the fact that 'lawyers in the Islamic Republic of Iran are unable to work independently and free from intimidation, harassment, or criminalization.' Tanaz Kolahchian, a lawyer and the wife of Amir Salar Davoodi, explained his complaint against three judicial officials of the Islamic Republic. The pressure on independent lawyers has intensified; Mohammad Reza Kargarpisheh Moghadam was arrested in Karaj. Khosrow Alikordi filed a complaint against three judicial officials regarding 'judicial misconduct by judges.' The pressure on lawyers in Iran continues; Taher Naqvi was arrested.