Independent Lawyers Targeted by Repressive Policies, Mass Arrests of Lawyers in Gilan

4 September 2025
News Group: Arrests –

Breathing in Confinement – Over the past ten days, at least ten lawyers have been arrested by security forces in Gilan Province.

According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, these arrests were carried out without clear justification and without families or colleagues being given accurate information about the detainees’ whereabouts or legal status. Such actions are in blatant contradiction with the principles of fair trial, the right to legal counsel, and the right to a public and fair hearing, which are guaranteed under international human rights instruments and even Iranian domestic law.

The identities of three of the detained lawyers have so far been confirmed:

• Shahrzad Sharbiani, a member of the Judiciary’s Bar Association, arrested in Rasht on Sunday, 31 August 2025, charged with propaganda against the regime.

• Shadi Falahati, also a member of the Judiciary’s Bar Association, arrested in Rasht on Tuesday, 26 August.

• Hesam Pourahmadi, a member of the Gilan Bar Association, arrested about a week ago and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.

No verified information has yet been obtained regarding the identity and situation of the other detained lawyers.

The arrest of lawyers, especially when they are carrying out their professional duties in defence of citizens’ rights, constitutes a serious violation of the independence of the legal profession and the fundamental right to defence. This practice serves as a tool of repression against advocates of justice and human rights, and is a clear indication of the absence of judicial independence and guarantees of fair trial in the country.

This wave of arrests comes despite repeated warnings from international bodies, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, regarding the systematic repression of lawyers and restrictions on their independent activity. The continuation of this trend not only violates Iran’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but also directly deprives citizens of their right to effective defence in court.