New wave of pressure on lawyers and civil activists in Iran; arrests, torture, and heavy sentences

In the wake of the growing wave of security and judicial clashes in Iran, new reports indicate the arrest of lawyers, the torture of defendants in custody, and the issuance of heavy sentences to critical citizens; a trend that, according to human rights organizations, is a sign of intensifying pressure on human rights defenders, civil activists, and protesters following the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests.

As pressure on civil society activists in Iran increases, human rights sources have reported the arrest of a lawyer in Shiraz, the continued torture of a young Kurdish man in detention, and the issuance of a prison sentence and deportation for a citizen of Lor; developments that have once again raised concerns about the human rights situation and the independence of the judiciary in the Islamic Republic.

According to a report published by the Human Rights Organization Hengaw, Bahar Sahraian, a lawyer and member of the Fars Bar Association, was arrested on May 16, 2018, while attending the Shiraz Revolutionary Court complex while performing her professional duties. She was then transferred to the women's ward of Adelabad Prison.

According to the organization, judicial authorities have brought charges against the lawyer, including “gathering and colluding against national security,” “propaganda against the system,” and “spreading lies.” Hengaw described the arrests of lawyers working on political and civil cases as part of a systematic pressure on Iran’s legal community.

In recent months, several other lawyers have been arrested in Shiraz and various cities in Iran, including Elham Zeraatpishe and Astareh Ansari, both of whom have a history of working on human rights cases and the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests.

In another case, reports from Ilam province indicate that Arshia Qayserbeigi, a young Kurdish woman from Sarabela, is still being held in solitary confinement after her violent arrest and is facing charges that could put her at risk of the death penalty.

According to information released by human rights organizations, security forces entered his family home without a warrant during his arrest and severely beat him, resulting in broken jaws, noses, and teeth. Informed sources say that during his detention, he was denied access to medical treatment, a lawyer, and family visits, and is being pressured to make forced confessions.

According to published judicial documents, charges of "moharebeh" and "corruption on earth" were brought against him based on these confessions; charges that have been used repeatedly against protesters and political prisoners in Iran in recent years and have led to death sentences in some cases.

In another development, Reza Koshkinezhad, a citizen of Pol-e Dokhtar, has been sentenced by the Khorramabad Revolutionary Court to one year in prison, two years of forced exile to Birjand, and an additional sentence. According to the ruling, he has been ordered to study documents related to SAVAK and submit a handwritten report to the judicial authorities.

The charges against him include “propaganda against the system” and “inciting people to disrupt the security of society in cyberspace.” Koushkinezhad had previously been arrested and convicted during the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests.

Human rights activists say that the series of cases shows that the Islamic Republic continues to use tools such as security detentions, serious charges, forced confessions, and exile to control the social space and silence the voices of critics; a trend that has gained wider dimensions after the nationwide protests of recent years.