Arrest of Shima Ghosheh, lawyer and women's rights activist in Tehran

The arrest of Shima Ghosheh, a lawyer and women's rights advocate, during the crackdown on human rights activists and independent lawyers following nationwide protests, is a symbol of the pressure the security-judicial apparatus is putting on lawyers in Iran.

Published reports indicate that Shima Ghosheh, a lawyer living in Tehran and a women's rights activist, was arrested by security forces at her home on Friday, January 16, 1404, and taken to an unknown location. As of the time of writing this report, the official reason for her arrest, specific charges, and where she is being held have not been independently and officially announced.

Ghosheh was known in legal and civil circles for decades of professional activity, especially in the areas of women's rights and defending the rights of victims. Part of her activities included legal representation in sensitive cases against rapists and supporting female complainants, and these issues had always exposed her to the attention and pressure of the authorities.

Although Iranian officials have not yet filed specific charges against him, media reports view the arrest as part of a widespread crackdown on activists, independent lawyers, and human rights advocates following the nationwide protests in January 2025.

In recent months and years, lawyers and human rights defenders in Iran have been repeatedly targeted for arrest, judicial summons, filing of cases, and issuing security charges. Prosecutors in cities such as Mashhad have charged a number of critical and independent lawyers with “propaganda against the system” or “acting against national security,” indicating a systematic suppression of the independence of the legal profession in sensitive cases.

Well-known examples of human rights lawyers who have been prosecuted or pressured in recent years include Mohammad Najafi, Amirsalar Davoudi, and others who have received lengthy convictions and sentences on security or political charges.

Shima Ghosheh’s arrest comes at a time when Iran is under heightened security pressure following widespread nationwide protests in January 2025. The protests, which began over social and economic issues, have quickly taken on political dimensions and been met with repressive responses. Reports indicate that thousands of people have been arrested during this wave of protests and violent confrontations with protesters. For example, domestic human rights organizations have estimated the number of confirmed detainees at tens of thousands.

The Article 18 organization has also criticized the severe repression of protesters and human rights violations, especially against children and religious minorities, in official statements, and has called for legal action and accountability of Iranian authorities.

In addition to pressure on human rights defenders, religious minorities such as Christians have also been repeatedly targeted for arrest and trial in recent years. Credible reports have reported at least dozens of arrests of religious minorities in various provinces and cities of Iran, some of which have been related to security-related religious charges.

These general circumstances, despite the lack of official announcements, indicate that Shima Ghosheh's arrest can be analyzed within the context of a broader pattern of repression of human rights activists, lawyers, and defenders of women's rights and religious minorities in Iran.

The arrest of Shima Ghosheh is a prominent example of the pressure exerted by the security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran on lawyers and human rights defenders, which occurred on the eve of and after the nationwide protests of January 1404. The lack of transparency regarding the charges and whereabouts of her remains, while there are broader grounds for the repression of human rights activists and defenders in Iran.