Mohammadreza Faghihi

Age:

Activism/rights: Human rights lawyer

Status: Released on bail

Judicial status: 6 months imprisonment/new case pending

Violations: Judicial harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, lack of due proces, unfair trial, denial of medical care, access to lawyer

Mohammadreza Faghihi is a lawyer and member of the Iranian Association for the Defence of Prisoners’ Rights. On 14 August 2021, he went to file a complaint against the National Task Force Against Coronavirus and the Supreme Leader at the Tehran Citizen’s Rights Protection Association for their mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to sources, 15 forces and two judicial officials entered the meeting and arrested all seven claimants. On August 25, Saeed Khalili tweeted that after going to Evin court to introduce himself as the lawyer in Mohammadreza’s case, he was turned away at the door and told that there would be no lawyers or bail. Mohammadreza’s house was also subsequently raided and his belongings confiscated. Mohammadreza Faghihi was released on bail on 30 August 2021. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” on 19 June 2022. His sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court on August 16. On 14 October 2022, Mohammadreza was arrested at the lawyers’ peaceful protest outside the Iranian Bar Association in Tehran after security forces attacked the gathering with teargas during the nationwide protests and transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary. He was released on bail on 25 October.

On 20 October 2023, Mohammadreza was tried for charges of “assembly and collusion with intent to commit a crime against national security” for the lawyers’ protest by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Salavati. He was denied the right to his lawyer per the Note to Article 48 of the CCP.