Iranian authorities have arrested prominent lawyer Mohsen Borhani, known for his vocal criticism of the government’s handling of the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. The arrest was reported on Sunday by Iranian media outlet Iran International.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, was detained by Iranian police in 2022 for allegedly failing to wear her hijab correctly. Her subsequent death in custody sparked widespread protests across the country. A UN fact-finding mission has since concluded that Amini’s death was unlawful and attributed it to violence in custody. Another UN report alleged numerous human rights violations against protestors during the unrest.
Borhani, who also served as a university professor, took to social media to criticize the government’s response, which included over 22,000 arrests and more than 500 fatalities. He particularly questioned the authority of security forces to use violence against protestors.
In a parallel move to silence dissent, Borhani was dismissed from his academic post at Tehran University. He indicated that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organisation and a Guardian Council member had filed a complaint against him.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency confirmed Borhani’s arrest but provided no additional details regarding his detention or the adjudicated punishment. This event occurred just one day after the election victory of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has pledged policy changes, including easing the mandatory headscarf rule and opening up to the West.
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