As the World Remains Silent, Justice is Silenced
Introduction
While international human rights bodies dedicate an annual day to “Lawyers at Risk,” in Iran, this risk has become a permanent structure. The widespread uprising of Iranian youth during the 2022 protests shook not only the streets but also posed an unprecedented challenge to the regime’s judiciary. Independent lawyers who sought to provide legal defense for protesters became targets themselves, joining the ranks of the detained and persecuted.
1-Factual Account
During the 2022 uprising, dozens of lawyers who undertook the defense of detainees faced threats, arrest, suspension, or disbarment. Some were detained even before initiating legal representation, simply for expressing willingness to accept such cases. According to data:
- Over 60 lawyers were arrested or summoned between October 2022 and March 2023.
- Dozens were threatened with license revocation, suspension, or travel bans.
- Many were denied medical care, family visits, and communication with clients.
2-Lawyers’ Role in the 2022 Uprising
The role of lawyers in the uprising went beyond legal defense. Groups of lawyers issued joint statements, boycotted sham court sessions, and protested structural violence, becoming the voice of the broader community. Some signatories of these statements faced judicial retaliation. Reports also indicate that certain lawyers participated in street protests and were subsequently arrested.
3-Lawyers Killed During the 2022 Uprising
During the nationwide protests of 2022 in Iran, three women lawyers lost their lives:
- Dr. Maryam Arvin
- Dr. Mohabbat Mozaffari
- Narges Khorramifard
Marzieh Mohabbi, a prominent lawyer who investigated the killing of Narges Khorrami, stated: “I thoroughly examined the final days of Narges’ life and can definitively say that security forces killed her in the hospital.”
According to the ruling issued against Marzieh Mohabbi, she was declared “outside the protection of the state,” meaning her life and property were no longer protected, and her civil rights were revoked. This unprecedented ruling against a lawyer lacks any legal basis and is purely retaliatory.
Mohabbi further reported: “An unprecedented 162 lawyers were summoned, arrested, and tried during the 2022 uprising, with many facing imprisonment and disbarment.”
4-Silent Killing of a Lawyer: The Case of Dr. Maryam Arvin
Dr. Maryam Arvin, a young lawyer in Sirjan, took up the defense of protesters during the 2022 uprising. Upon visiting the prosecutor’s office to accept the defense of a detainee, the presiding judge (who was also the deputy prosecutor) chillingly told her: “You cannot defend the protesters because you yourself are a defendant.”
A few days later, on 24 November 2022, security agents contacted her. On 26 November 2022, she went to the prosecutor’s office with her family, where she was beaten, handcuffed, and humiliated. Her mother, who went to inquire about her daughter the following day, was also arrested and transferred to Kohnshahr Prison.
During detention, Maryam lost over 7 kilograms. She told her family that she was repeatedly given suspicious-tasting juices that she suspected were laced with drugs.
On 6 February 2023, she fell into a coma and died the following day, 7 February 2023, from complete liver and lung failure. Dr. Arvin’s death represents not only the physical elimination of a lawyer but also a deliberate attempt to intimidate and silence the legal profession in the face of state violence.
5-List of 16 Lawyers at Risk
This list documents lawyers who, during or after the 2022 uprising, faced direct security and judicial reprisals. It is based on reports from human rights sources, reputable media, and court documents. These names represent only part of the silenced legal community but illustrate a systematic campaign to eliminate independent lawyering under the mullahs’ regime.
| Name | Type of Repression |
| Mohammad Najafi | Long imprisonment, flogging, disbarment |
| Farzaneh Zilabi | Conviction, threat of license revocation |
| Mohammadreza Faghihi | 5 years imprisonment, travel ban |
| Taher Naqavi | Imprisonment, denial of medical care |
| Marziyeh Mohammadi | Arrest, uncertain legal status |
| Ali Sharifzadeh | Repeated summons, heavy bail |
| Amirsalar Davoodi | 30 years imprisonment, flogging |
| Payam Derafshan | Imprisonment, security threats |
| Mostafa Daneshjoo | Imprisonment, disbarment |
| Giti Pourfazel | Imprisonment, professional restrictions |
| Saeed Dehghan | Travel ban, security threats |
| Mohammad Oliaeifard | Imprisonment, disbarment |
| Zeinab Taheri | Arrest, media and judicial pressure |
| Hadi Safizadeh | Summons, direct threats |
| Neda Naji | Arrest and prosecution for human rights activism |
| Shahnaz Kian | Arrest during protests |
6-Legal and Political Analysis
The regime’s treatment of lawyers during the 2022 uprising constitutes systematic violations of multiple international legal norms:
- Principle 16 of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990)
- Article 14 of the ICCPR: Right to a fair trial
- Article 9 of the ICCPR: Prohibition of arbitrary arrest
- Violation of the principle of independence of the legal profession
7-Irreparable Consequences of the Crackdown on Lawyers
Limiting access to independent legal counsel undermines the right to a fair trial. The result is widespread torture, forced confessions, and the issuance of unjust prison and even death sentences against defenseless defendants. The legal profession, instead of serving as a refuge for seekers of justice, has been fractured and forced into silence.
The Right to Defense Is the First Line of Defense for Freedom
If lawyers are silenced, justice will be silenced forever.
