Each year on Jan. 24, the international legal community honors lawyers around the world who are committed to advancing human rights and upholding the rule of law, despite the pitfalls and threats that they may encounter in the course of their duties. This year, the spotlight was turned on Iran, which has seen its legal professionals systematically targeted for repression by the state authorities.
According to a report by the International Observatory of Lawyers, some 66 lawyers have been either arrested or detained in Iran since September 2022. It was noted that renowned lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced to a staggering 38 years in prison simply for defending human rights, while the overall human rights situation in the country continued to deteriorate with more than 537 Iranians reportedly killed by security forces during protests.
A statement by a panel of UN experts underscored the daunting challenges that lawyers in Iran face, declaring, “Lawyers in Iran have, again and again, risen to the challenge and have suffered the consequences…These brave women and men have been targeted with intimidation and harassment, including arbitrary arrest and disbarment for seeking to ensure those arrested and charged were able to access their right to a legal defense.”
The American Bar Association chimed in with similar sentiments, stressing the vulnerability of lawyers without the protection of an independent bar association, and the role that state authorities play in constraining their ability to exercise their profession. The ABA also highlighted that Iran was not unique in its engagement with members of the legal profession: lawyers globally are subjected to harassment, arrest, and even physical harm in their pursuit to advance the rule of law. As an matter of fact, the organization noted a worrying surge of violence or threats against lawyers, judges and other legal professionals in the United States recently.
The plight of these endangered professionals underscores the need for global solidarity and urgent action to protect their rights, and by extension, the rule of law, human rights, and justice they stand for.