Prison Sentences Issued for Three Lawyers Active in Human Rights Cases in Shiraz
8-June-2026
Category: Prison Sentence
8 June 2026
Category: Prison Sentences
Breathing in Confinement: Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Shiraz has convicted Ms Nazanin Salari and Messrs Mahmoud Taravatrooy and Masoud Ahmadian on charges of “assembly and collusion with the intent to commit crimes against national security” and “propaganda against the state.”
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, defence lawyer Mostafa Nili announced the news in an interview with Emtedad. He stated that Ms Salari and Messrs Taravatrooy and Ahmadian are experienced lawyers who have long been active in handling political, ideological, and security-related cases.
According to Nili, the case was opened against the three lawyers in 2020. While the head of Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Shiraz had presided over previous hearings, the case was reassigned to one of the court’s associate judges during the final hearing. Despite the existence of both procedural and substantive deficiencies in the case, the associate judge proceeded to hear the defendants’ final defence statements and subsequently issued the convictions.
Under the issued rulings, each of the three lawyers was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and collusion with the intent to commit crimes against national security.” As an additional punishment, each was also banned from leaving the country for two years and had their passport revoked. They were further sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for the charge of “propaganda against the state.”
Mostafa Nili further stated that the basis for both the prosecution and the convictions was the lawyers’ professional and civil activities. These included participation in seminars and meetings concerning the rights of women and children, advocacy for the reform and adoption of legislation addressing domestic violence through engagement with members of parliament, local councils, and electoral candidates, participation in activities related to the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, distribution of symbols and badges associated with the “No to Violence Against Women” and “No to Child Marriage” campaigns, and interviews concerning the situation of their clients and alleged violations of their rights.
He emphasised that many of the activities cited in the case were undertaken within the framework of the individuals’ professional legal practice and human rights work, and that their legal basis remains disputed and subject to review by higher judicial authorities.