International Campaign Interviews Lawyer Farideh Gheirat on new Evin prison court

Prominent Iranian lawyer Farideh Gheirat

In an interview about the Evin Prison Court which has been established for reviewing the cases of political prisoners, prominent Iranian lawyer and former Deputy Chairperson of the Iranian Bar Association Farideh Gheirat told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that access to her clients’ cases has become extremely difficult. She also said that distinguished human rights activist Emaddedin Baghi’s lawyer has been unable to access his case file.

Regarding Emaddedin Baghi’s case she said: “Unfortunately, not even the lawyer directly responsible for Mr. Baghi’s case has any information about the case. I don’t know anything about my clients’ cases during the investigations phase. They only allow me to present my power of attorney document when an indictment has been issued, and only then can I review the case and present my defense. Especially regarding Mr. Baghi’s case, I asked about his wife about his situation today and she told me that he continues to remain in an indeterminate state and his lawyer has not been able to see his file yet.”

Farideh Gheirat, a lawyer who represents some of the journalists and politicians detained after the elections told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran also said: “The courts established at Evin Prison are courts which were previously located in the Revolutionary Courts. When they were at the Revolutionary Courts, people and lawyers had easier access to them. During the interrogation stage, lawyers are not allowed any involvement with the case, but [inside the Revolutionary Courts] it was possible for the lawyers to go and find information about the cases. But now, after the Ashura events and even before that during the [post-] elections events, they have set up the courts inside the Evin Prison and with the exception of one or two court branches which remain inside the Revolutionary Courts, all the other courts are now at Evin.

These courts specifically review the cases of those detained. Accessing these courts for us lawyers is not possible at all, as lawyers and others are not allowed inside. As a result, we cannot even have access to what little and incomplete information we used to gain about [our] cases, as this is no longer possible. For example, [there are instances where] the investigations have been completed and the case file has been sent to the Revolutionary Courts, but we have not yet been informed so that we may present our power of attorney documents and there is no way for us to gain such information. Of course, changing the location of a court is within the powers of the Judiciary and we cannot ask why a court has been set up in a particular location, but lack of access for lawyers and public has become problematic for essential followups.”