UN Reporter: Iranian Government Must End Suppression of Human Rights Defenders

Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, called on the Iranian government to end the harassment and suppression of human rights defenders on Thursday, February 7. Lawlor pointed to the imprisonment of Iranian human rights lawyer Mohammad Reza Faghihi, who is serving a five-year sentence and has also been banned from practicing law for two years. The UN Special Rapporteur noted that this sentence was issued due to Faghihi's activities in women's rights. Previously, the organization 'Front Line Defenders,' which works to protect at-risk human rights defenders, issued a statement on January 31 demanding the release of imprisoned lawyer Mohammad Reza Faghihi and expressed concern over his arbitrary conviction and judicial harassment. The international organization stated that the charges against Faghihi were based on sending a text message to his colleagues to inform them about a gathering in front of the Bar Association on October 12, 2022. He was arrested at this gathering, which was part of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests. Front Line Defenders expressed serious concern over the arbitrary sentences and judicial harassment faced by Mohammad Reza Faghihi, asserting that he has been targeted by the Iranian judicial system for his peaceful human rights activities, including representing political prisoners and exercising his legal rights to freedom of assembly and association. This human rights organization urged Iranian authorities to immediately release Mohammad Reza Faghihi and overturn his convictions, as well as to adhere to international standards during detention and cease the harassment of human rights defenders in Iran. Front Line Defenders called on the Iranian government to ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of retaliation and without any restrictions, including judicial harassment. Mohammad Reza Faghihi has previously represented many civil and political activists from Azerbaijan and has been a member of the Human Rights Commission of the Central Bar Association and the Board of Directors of the Association for the Defense of Prisoners in Tehran. According to this report, he played an active role in advocating for the victims of the Islamic Republic regarding the import of COVID-19 vaccines. Faghihi was also one of the few lawyers from the Central Bar Association who defended defendants in espionage cases. Yashar Hakakpour, director of the Association for the Defense of Political Prisoners from Azerbaijan in Iran (ADAP), told Voice of America: 'Mr. Faghihi has represented hundreds of ethnic activists in Azerbaijan over the past 20 years and has faced the wrath of the Iranian security apparatus solely for doing his job and defending defendants.' Hakakpour, who has been a client of Mohammad Reza Faghihi, stated: 'He sacrificed his comfort and career to defend the rights of the voiceless.'