Report on the Situation of Detained Lawyers: Continued Security and Judicial Actions Across Several Provinces
5-June-2026
Category: Arrests
4 June 2026
News Category: Arrests
Breathing in Confinement: The arrest and judicial prosecution of lawyers in various cities across the country continues.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Elham Zeraatpisheh, Setareh Ansari, Bahar Sahraeian, Nazanin Baradaran, Jafar Keshavarz, and Jafar Zarei, all lawyers based in Shiraz, have been arrested on charges related to national security offences. At the time of publication, no clear information has been released regarding their conditions of detention, place of custody, or access to legal representation.
Also in Shiraz, Mehran Ansari, a lawyer, has been sentenced to one year of discretionary imprisonment on a charge of “propaganda against the state,” while Mehdi Ansari has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on a charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”
In Tabriz, Mohammad Tarighat Esfanjani, a lawyer and member of the East Azerbaijan Bar Association, has been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to three years of discretionary imprisonment.
In Qom, Seyed Mehdi Razavifard, a lawyer, has been tried before Branch One of the Revolutionary Court on a charge of “espionage.” Details regarding the judicial proceedings and his access to defence rights, including the right to independent legal counsel, remain unclear.
In Mashhad, Javad Alikordi remains in detention. In the same city, Shahréh Haddadian, Enayat Karamati, Mohsen Darginejad, and Amir Bahaderifard have been temporarily released on bail.
In another development, the Supreme Court, while reviewing the retrial request of Mohammadreza Faghihi, a lawyer and member of the Azerbaijan Bar Association, ruled that the act attributed to him did not, in fact, constitute a criminal offence. This comes despite the fact that he had already served his sentence, lost his profession, and suffered significant physical, professional, and family-related harm.
Despite this ruling, serious questions remain regarding compensation for the material and moral damages inflicted upon him, as well as the responsibility of the relevant authorities.
The continuation of these developments has raised growing concerns regarding adherence to the principles of fair trial, the independence of the legal profession, and the protection of the fundamental rights of citizens.