Iranian authorities have arrested, summoned, or imprisoned at least 32 independent defense attorneys since January 2026, according to a report by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). This targeted campaign effectively strips political detainees and death row inmates of legal representation following a wave of anti-government protests earlier this year.

Human Rights Concerns

Human rights advocates warn that the crackdown is a systematic effort by the state to eliminate judicial oversight and fast-track political executions. The tactics used against legal professionals vary heavily by geography, with lawyers in provincial cities facing severe judicial blockades and those in the capital city of Tehran facing what peers describe as “soft repression”.

The judicial campaign has struck high-profile human rights advocates and regional defense lawyers alike. In Shiraz, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced attorneys Nazanin Salari, Mahmoud Taravat-Rouy, and Masoud Ahmadian to three years in prison each on charges of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security” and “propaganda against the state”.

In Tehran, prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested on May 2 before being released on bail, while attorney Seyed Mohammadreza Razavi-Fard was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Qom Revolutionary Court on June 17.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.