overbroad and vague limitations on individuals’ rights, in violation of the country’s international
human rights obligations. As the work of human rights defenders and civil society activities rely
on freedom of expression assembly and association, their ability to carry out their work is
particularly limited.
The authorities frequently resort to these provisions to intimidate, arrest and prosecute
individuals who peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and
assembly. Iranian authorities have increasingly repressed human rights lawyers, resorting to
arrests, detentions, and imprisonments solely based on the peaceful exercise of their rights to
freedom of expression, association and assembly and for carrying out their professional duty to
defend their clients.19 Other human rights defenders, including trade unionists, environmental or
abolitionist activists have also faced increasing levels of harassment and persecution due to their
peaceful activities. 20 21 22 23 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. 24 25 26The Special Rapporteur
also referred to reports of harassment, imprisonment and mistreatment of HRDs in prison, as
well as increased pressure on their families.27 NGOs have reported a pattern of violations of the
rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association disproportionately targeting members
of minority or marginalized groups. 28 29 30 31 32 33
19
See more: Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, https://www.iranrights.org/projects/timeline
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
21
See more: Iran Human Rights, https://www.iranhr.net/en/reports/23/
22
See more: Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/controlled-and-pursued-labor-activism-incontemporary-iran/
23
See more: Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort, https://www.ecpm.org/wp-content/uploads/Rapport-iran-2020-gb-070420WEB.pdf
24
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
25
See more: United for Iran, database of Iran’s prisons and political prisoners available at https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/
26
See more: EN-Human Rights Activists News Agency, https://www.en-hrana.org/?s=activists
27
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
28
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/
29
See more: Kurdistan Human Rights Geneva, https://kmmk-ge.org/sd/annual-report-2020/
30
See more: United For Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/
31
Center for Human Rights in Iran, https://iranhumanrights.org/2020/10/more-bahais-begin-serving-prison-sentences-in-iransimply-for-their-beliefs/
32
See more: Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from All Human Rights for All in Iran, Association for Human
Rights in Kurdistan – Geneva, Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, Iran Human Rights
Documentation Center, OutRight International, Siamak Pourzand Foundation, Small Media, Impact Iran, 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_42317_E.pdf
33
“Iran arrests 29 linked to protests against compulsory hijab laws”, New York Times, 2 February 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/world/middleeast/iran-hijab-protests-arrests.html
20
3