obligations. As freedom of expression, assembly and association are central to the work of
HRDs, they are particularly exposed to State restriction and repression.
Such risk has been confirmed in practice. Iranian authorities frequently rely on the
aforementioned legal framework in order to intimidate, arrest and prosecute individuals who
peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly,22 23
reportedly targeting disproportionately members of minorities.24 25 Further, the Government of
Iran has been responding to protests with excessive and unlawful force.26
Iranian authorities have been increasingly repressing human rights lawyers, through arrests,
detentions and prosecutions solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of
expression, association and assembly and for carrying out their professional work to defend their
clients.27 Other human rights defenders, including trade unionists, environmental or abolitionist
activists have also faced increasing levels of governmental and judicial harassment and
persecution due to their peaceful activities. 28 29 30 31 In his July 2020 report, the Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran raised serious
concerns over recurrent arrests and detentions of HRDs solely for carrying out their legitimate
work. 32 33 34The Special Rapporteur also referred to reports of harassment, imprisonment and
mistreatment in prison of HRDs and increasing pressure on their families.35
22
See more : Amnesty International, Caught in a web of repression: Iran’s Human Rights Defenders under attack,
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1364462017ENGLISH.PDF
23
While no official figure exists on the number of journalists detained with charges since 2011, documentation on specific cases
of journalists imprisoned by HRANA News Agency, Committee to Protect Journalists, Amnesty International, Centre for Human
Rights on Iran, and Reporters Without Borders and ARTICLE19 suggest the number is over a hundred.
24
See more: Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran, http://www.ahraz.org/association-for-the-humanrights-of-the-azerbaijani-people-in-iran-ahrazs-repot-regarding-the-current-situation-of-the-azerbaijani-arrestees-that-arearrested-during-the-recent-protests-nove/
25
See more: Kurdistan Human Rights Geneva, https://kmmk-ge.org/sd/annual-report-2020/
26
The Governmental crackdown on the November 2019 protests is emblematic of Iran’s repression of the rights to freedom of
expression, assembly and association. See more: Amnesty International, Trampling Humanity: Mass arrests, disappearances and
torture since Iran’s 2019 November protests, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/2891/2020/en/
27
See more: Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, https://www.iranrights.org/projects/timeline
28
See more : ARTICLE 19, Small Media, Human Rights Activists in Iran, Impact Iran, Human Rights Committee, 129th session
(Geneva) 29 June – 24 July 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_ICS_IRN_42315_E.pdf
29
See more: Iran Human Rights, https://www.iranhr.net/en/reports/23/
30
See more: Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/controlled-and-pursued-labor-activism-incontemporary-iran/
31
See more: Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort, https://www.ecpm.org/wp-content/uploads/Rapport-iran-2020-gb-070420WEB.pdf
32
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_Special_Rapporteur_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_
Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4361.pdf
33
See more: United for Iran, database of Iran’s prisons and political prisoners available at https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/
34
See more: EN-Human Rights Activists News Agency, https://www.en-hrana.org/?s=activists
35
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2020,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_Special_Rapporteur_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_
Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4361.pdf
3