Payam Darfashan, a lawyer, was sentenced to prison and barred from practicing law.

Payam Darfashan, a lawyer in Iran, was sentenced to prison and barred from practicing law by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj.

Saeed Dehghan, Payam Derfashan's defense lawyer, announced on Saturday, May 10, in a tweet that the lawyer had been sentenced to 2 years in prison and 2 years of disqualification from practicing law by the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj on charges of "insulting the leadership."

Mr. Dehghan also released a picture of the verdict issued by the Revolutionary Court, saying that this verdict was issued to this lawyer at a time when he was not allowed to study his client's case before the court and the verdict was issued.

According to the issued court order, this verdict is not final and can be appealed to the Alborz Provincial Court of Appeal within 20 days.

Payam Darfashan, who has represented many political prisoners and civil activists, including Vida Movahed, a protester of compulsory hijab in Iran, was reportedly arrested on September 28, 2018, at the home of Arash Kaykhosravi, his attorney and client, and was released on bail some time later.

This is not the first time a lawyer has been sentenced to prison. Voice of America previously reported that Soheila Hijab, a lawyer and civil activist from Kermanshah, was sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Moghiseh, on charges of “propaganda against the regime,” “gathering and colluding,” “inciting public confession with the intention of rioting,” “forming a group in support of women’s rights,” and “requesting a referendum and changing the constitution.”

Source: Voice of America