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AMNESTY
I NIERNATI ONAL ________________________
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Mohammad Olyaeifard was sentenced to one
year in prison
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IRAN URGED TO RELEASE LAWYER
IMPRISONED FOR CRITICIZING
JUVENILE'S EXECUTION
6 May 2010
Amnesty
International
has urged the
Iranian
authorities to
release a
human rights
lawyer who
was arrested
after speaking
out against the execution of one of his clients during
interviews with international media.
Mohammad Olyaeifard was detained on 1 May on charges of
“propaganda against the system” to begin serving a one-year
jail term. His lawyers have not been informed of his sentence,
in violation of Iranian law.
Before his arrest, Mohammad Olyaeifard said that he had
been convicted because of an interview he gave to Voice of
America's Persian Service shortly after his client, juvenile
offender Behnoud Shojaee, was hanged for a murder he
committed when he was 17 years old.
‘The arrest of Mohammad Olyaeifard sends a chilling
message to lawyers in Iran that if they dare to denounce
abuses or miscarriages of justice they will face reprisals,” said
Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East
and North Africa Deputy Director.
“All he did was point out to the world that — for the 45th time
since 1 990 - Iran violated international law by executing
someone for a crime committed when under 18.
“Mohammad Olyaeifard has been imprisoned solely for the
peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and he
must be immediately and unconditionally released.”
Shortly after his interviews, Mohammad Olyaeifard was
summoned for questioning on the basis of a complaint
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brought against him by the Tehran Prosecutor and in
November 2009 he was briefly arrested and charged before
being released on bail equivalent to about US$50,000.
He was then sentenced to one year in prison on 7 February
2010 by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
He was arrested a second time on 8 March 2010 but was
released six days later as his lawyers had not been informed
of his sentence.
His lawyer, Abdolfattah Soltani, told Deutsche Welles Persian
service that Mohammad Olyaeifard was rearrested on 1 May
when he went to the Revolutionary Court in Tehran to meet a
court official. He is now held in Section 350 of Evin Prison.
Mohammad Olyaeifard, who has defended many prisoners of
conscience and juvenile offenders — those sentenced to
death for crimes committed when under the age of 18, has
previously been targeted for his work. He was once
interrogated and accused of “propagating lies” for
condemning the torture of one of his clients, while he has
been a vocal critic of Iran's executions of juvenile offenders.
Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to
ensure that while imprisoned, he is granted access to his
family and lawyers and to adequate medical care. Mohammad
Olyaeifard requires regular medication for severe migraines
and fainted on 4 March.
The Iranian authorities have intensified the already severe
restrictions on freedom of expression in Iran since the
disputed presidential election last June, arresting politicians
and activists, students, human rights defenders and
journalists, as well as lawyers such as Mohammad Ali
Dadkhah, Abdolfattah Soltani and Mohammad Mostafaei,
although all were later freed on bail.
The arrest of Mohammad Olyaeifard follows attempts by the
Iranian authorities to undermine the independence of the
Iranian Bar Association, including by barring candidates from
standing for election to senior positions.
‘This latest move of the Iranian authorities is an indication of
the expanding realm of repression in Iran. It shows that no
group is immune. The authorities are seeking to silence
anyone who is criticizing them. Human rights organizations
and their members, journalists, opposition figures, students
and women's rights defenders have been targeted. It is now
the turn of lawyers”, said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
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Iran urged to release lawyer inçrisoned for crificith g juvenile's execufion.. lttp://wwwammstyorg/en'news-and-updates/iran.urged-release-lawyer..
The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers not only
state that lawyers must be allowed to carry out their work
“without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper
interference” but also expressly recognizes that they are
entitled to freedom of expression, which includes “the right to
take part in public discussion of matters concerning the law,
the administration of justice and the promotion and protection
of human rights”.
Fran cais Españo l
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