Human Rights Organization: Systematic Criminalization of Human Rights Defenders in Iran
The monitoring program for supporting human rights defenders has reported on the “systematic criminalization of human rights defenders.” This report is based on the analysis of 28 cases of human rights activists and lawyers, 15 of whom are currently imprisoned.
In a report titled “Indefensible: Systematic Criminalization of Human Rights Defenders in Iran” released on Tuesday, August 29, it is stated that human rights defenders in Iran, who have long been targeted by state attacks, have faced increased and systematic judicial harassment since late 2017.
The aforementioned report is based on the analysis of 28 cases monitored by the “monitoring program” in 2018 and the first half of 2019, including prominent activists and lawyers such as Nasrin Sotoudeh, Reza Khandan, and Mohammad Najafi.
The monitoring program for supporting human rights defenders was established in 1997 as a joint initiative of the “International Federation of Human Rights Societies” and the “World Organization Against Torture” with the aim of preventing the repression of human rights defenders or addressing it.
In the monitoring program’s report published on the website of the “International Federation of Human Rights Societies,” it is stated that of the 28 cases reviewed, 15 are women’s rights defenders and 13 are human rights lawyers. 13 of them are currently in prison and 15 others are facing the threat of re-arrest.
According to this report, human rights defenders, including human rights lawyers, are repeatedly arrested without charges, remain in pre-trial detention without access to their chosen defense lawyers, and after unfair trials on vague charges are sentenced to lengthy prison terms and held in poor conditions.
The purpose of this criminalization process is to curb their human rights activities and undermine their freedom of expression.
Gisou Jahangiri, Vice President of the International Federation of Human Rights Societies, says: “The Iranian Islamic Republic regime is an enemy of human rights defenders. Government officials systematically criminalize any opposition by these defenders and respond to them with violence. The Iranian government must end the harassment of these defenders and take immediate steps to protect them.”
The report also states that many human rights defenders have been targeted for defending women’s rights and supporting their protests against mandatory hijab laws. Lawyers are regularly persecuted and targeted for taking on human rights cases and representing human rights lawyers. In particular, human rights lawyers are subject to attack for criticizing the judiciary, including the judiciary’s treatment of their clients and other lawyers.
Gerald Stabroek, Secretary General of the World Organization Against Torture, also said: “Iran has a long history of criminalizing human rights defenders through prosecuting them on so-called national security charges.”
The Secretary General of the World Organization Against Torture has recommended that Iran “immediate reforms to ensure the existence of a rule of law state and the dignity and independence of judges, lawyers and prosecutors” are necessary.
Many human rights defenders whose situations are detailed in this report are held in the “infamous Evin Prison in Tehran.” They are held for long periods in solitary cells and deprived of necessary medical care, and they are prevented from meeting with their families or lawyers.
In this report, the Iranian government is urged to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders.
Source: DW
