Arrests of Lawyers in Iran After December 2025–January 2026 Protests Raise Alarm

Simultaneous with the intensification of repression following the nationwide protests of December 2025–January 2026, the arrests and summons of court lawyers have heightened concerns about the systematic elimination of the right to defense and the deprivation of detainees from fair trial proceedings.

Iran Human Rights Society, Saturday, February 7, 2026 — In continuation of the repression of the nationwide protests of Dey 1404 (December 2025–January 2026), numerous reports have been published regarding the arrests, summons, and pressure on court lawyers. This trend, occurring alongside the widespread arrests of citizens, is seen as a new step by the authorities to block the path of legal defense and eliminate the presence of lawyers in cases related to the nationwide protests.

Arrests of Court Lawyers Simultaneous with the Repression of Nationwide Protests

Simultaneous with the new wave of repression following the nationwide protests, reports have emerged about the arrests and summons of court lawyers. Saeed Bagheri, Vice President of the Central Bar Association, stated that there is no exact figure for the number of lawyers arrested during the recent protests, but according to him, “we have heard that a number of our colleagues have been arrested.”

Bagheri emphasized that the exact reasons for the arrests and the nature of the charges against these lawyers have not yet been officially announced, and the Bar Association is awaiting further information.

No News of Shima Ghosheh’s Condition After Arrest

Among the arrested lawyers, the situation of Shima Ghosheh, a human rights lawyer, has drawn public attention. Her family has announced that they are completely without news of her condition.

According to reports, Shima Ghosheh was arrested on Friday, January 16, 2026 (26 Dey 1404), at her private residence in Tehran by security forces and has only had one short phone call with her brother.

After this brief call, no information about her place of detention, legal status, or physical and mental condition has been provided to the family. This lack of information has intensified concerns about her fate.

Elimination of Lawyers; A New Step in the Repression Process

The continued arrests of lawyers defending citizens’ rights, simultaneous with the escalation of repression, is assessed as an indication of the authorities’ targeted policy to eliminate the right to legal defense. Legal observers believe that arresting court lawyers effectively deprives those arrested in the nationwide protests of one of their most fundamental rights.

This process removes the possibility of independent legal pursuit and effective defense, placing interrogators and security institutions in a position to fabricate cases without effective judicial oversight.

Widespread Flaws in the Judicial Process for Detainees

According to reports, the judicial process for dealing with those arrested in the nationwide protests has been accompanied by serious flaws. These include the denial of the right to an independent lawyer’s defense, the use of violent treatment, obtaining confessions under duress, and holding detainees in solitary cells.

Additionally, rushed trials, identical reports from agents, similar charges, and even identical and erroneous verdicts in prosecutor’s offices and courts have been reported. Directing cases to limited and specific branches and holding multi-minute trial sessions are among other issues that have heightened legal concerns.

Restrictions on Family Contact and Additional Pressure

Reports indicate that in many cases, severe restrictions on informing and responding to families have been imposed. Families have faced restrictions on visiting the handling authority, and in numerous instances, detainees’ phone contacts and visits have been limited or completely cut off.

Also, the illegal broadcasting of televised confessions, prohibition or restriction on obtaining power of attorney, issuance of disproportionate detention orders, and failure to implement bail for various pretexts are among other reported aspects of systematic pressure.

Critical Situation in Prisons

Severe overcrowding in prisons, the spread of disease, and inadequate medical care for prisoners are other consequences of the widespread arrests following the nationwide protests. Informed sources say these conditions have seriously endangered the physical and mental health of detainees.

In such a situation, the elimination of lawyers and the prohibition of legal defense significantly increases the vulnerability of prisoners.

Statistics on Lawyers Involved in the Cycle of Arrest and Trial

According to the latest reports, at least 22 court lawyers have been placed in a cycle of arrest, imprisonment, and trial. The number of detained lawyers has reached 15, with four more lawyers still detained in Shiraz.

At the same time, three lawyers have been released on bail, and for several others, court sessions have been held or they have been summoned to prison to serve sentences. From the perspective of observers, this trend, simultaneous with silencing the streets, also blocks the path to seeking justice. Names of some arrested lawyers include:

Mohammad Hadi Jafarpour, Shima Ghosheh, Mehdi Ansari, Mehran Ansari, Nazanin Baradaran, Jafar Keshavarz, Jafar Zarei, Hossein Shekari, Enayatollah Karamati, Zohreh Javani, Sepideh Taheri

Court Lawyers’ Reaction to Violations of Detainees’ Rights

In response to this situation, 48 court lawyers issued a statement protesting the violation of the rights of those arrested in the 1404 (December 2025–January 2026) protests. Part of the statement states that the protests of Dey 1404 (December 2025–January 2026) and their consequences have plunged Iranian society into deep shock and suffering once again, and sympathy with the families of the killed and injured is a social and legal responsibility.

In one part of the statement:

The people’s protests in Dey 1404 (December 2025–January 2026), which led to the horrific disaster of the killing of thousands of innocent citizens, have once again plunged Iranian society into deep shock and suffering. Sympathy with the families of the victims and injured in this disaster is not merely an ethical stance but a social and legal responsibility for every committed actor under the law, including the legal community. Therefore, we, a group of court lawyers, while sympathizing with the Iranian nation, believe that in such circumstances, the rule of law and guaranteeing the rights of all people, including recent detainees, has double importance.

The signatories of this statement emphasized that in such conditions, the rule of law and guaranteeing the rights of all people, especially recent detainees, has double importance. They concluded the statement by seriously warning that the multiplicity and continuation of violations of defendants’ rights discredits the institution of law. They stressed:

We, a group of court lawyers, while seriously warning about the multiplicity and continuation of violations of the rights of defendants and detainees from the Dey 1404 (December 2025–January 2026) protests, emphasize that the persistence of these practices will discredit the institution of law and destroy the last manifestations of the rule of law. Therefore, our clear demand is legality, transparent and practical guarantee of defense rights, and full adherence to the principles of fair trial; an issue whose realization is the fundamental condition for protecting justice and preventing the repetition of human and legal disasters.

It is obvious that these warnings do not mean that we lawyers will hesitate for a moment in performing our advocacy duties in defending people’s rights; because undoubtedly, by the oath we have taken, the more people are placed in greater hardship, the more determined we will be in securing their rights.

Violation of the Right to Defense and Fair Trial in the Repression Following Nationwide Protests

The arrests and summons of court lawyers and the prohibition of lawyers’ presence in cases related to nationwide protests are examples of systematic human rights violations and the deliberate elimination of the right to legal defense. This trend has paved the way for unfair verdicts and increased pressure on detainees.

Violation of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – the right to a fair trial: Depriving detainees of access to an independent lawyer and effective defense.
Violation of the basic principles of lawyers’ independence: Arresting and threatening court lawyers for performing their professional duties.
Violation of the prohibition on obtaining confessions under duress: Using forced confessions in interrogation and trial processes.

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