The 'Frontline Lawyers' Association Condemns 5-Year Prison Sentence for Mohammad Reza Faghihi

The 'Frontline Lawyers' Association condemned the issuance of a 5-year prison sentence, a 2-year ban from practicing law, and a travel ban for Mohammad Reza Faghihi on Thursday, October 11. In a statement, the association described the ruling by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic as a "clear violation of the fundamental and professional rights of lawyers and an act contrary to the principles of fair trial" and emphasized: "We believe that issuing such rulings against lawyers who have merely acted in their professional and ethical duty to support the rights of the people is not only a threat to the legal community but also a threat to all citizens who look to the legal profession and judiciary for the realization of rights and the enforcement of justice." The statement continued: "As the Frontline Lawyers' Association, we declare that such behaviors are inconsistent with any legal principles and international standards and are a clear example of the restriction and threat against independent lawyers. The imprisonment of a lawyer like Mohammad Reza Faghihi, who has always defended the weakest and most defenseless segments of society, is not only a blatant injustice but also a disrespect to the legal community and an attempt to undermine the independence of the legal profession." At the end of the statement, the 'Frontline Lawyers' Association called on all bar associations, the national union of bar associations, and all leaders of these civil institutions to unite and raise their voices in protest against such unjust rulings and to stand together in defense of lawyers' rights and the preservation of the independence of the legal profession. Mohammad Reza Faghihi, a human rights lawyer, was sentenced to five years in prison for participating in a peaceful and legal gathering on October 12, 2022, aimed at supporting the rights of lawyers and condemning the unjust arrests following the death of Mahsa Amini. Members of the Frontline Lawyers' Association include Mohammad Moqimi, Qasem Baadi, Tanaz Kolahchian, Hossein Mehrandish, Fatemeh Javidmehr, and Forough Sheikh Al-Islami Vatani. The Islamic Republic has arrested at least 44 lawyers since the onset of nationwide protests in Iran on September 17, 2022, and later sentenced several of them to prison, disqualification from practicing law, and other social restrictions. The execution of Amir Salar Davoodi's prison sentence has been halted. Taher Naqavi, a lawyer and political prisoner, was transferred to the hospital on the seventh day of his hunger strike. There have been assassination attempts on "21 lawyers" in Iran over two years, with "six lawyers" killed. Following the conviction of Mashallah Karami, a former lawyer, his case was also sentenced to imprisonment. The arrest of 44 lawyers since the onset of protests has raised alarms from a legal expert about the courts' "deviation" from the law.