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Parsi Law’s team of human rights lawyers, in pursuit of justice and freedom for all Iranians, have defined their primary goal as providing legal support to protesters, offering advice and training to activists, and passing on experience from professional lawyers to young colleagues and others interested in the field of human rights in order to better defend citizens who face oppression and discrimination. Toward this aim, our lawyers will produce professional legal content in the area of citizens' right to a legal defense, share firsthand experiences of human rights legal defense methods on social media, and organize applied training sessions in the legal defense of human rights.

Following widespread protests and civil disobedience in Iran, especially after the outbreak of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, a number of young lawyers, who have observed the overwhelmingly violent, illegal, and inhumane actions by the government against their freedom-seeking peers, have declared their readiness to advise, support, and defend the protesters. Despite being aware of the challenges facing the legal profession in the Islamic Republic, which is likened to a minefield, these lawyers intend to join the ranks of colleagues who have chosen to defend human rights in Iran.

Parsi Law, in collaboration with Iranian lawyers and jurists, aims to transfer the experiences of professional lawyers to these young lawyers, thereby creating a lifeline for compatriots facing oppression and discrimination. Accordingly, ParsiLaw will produce professional and technical legal content in various areas of human rights, including methods of establishing the right of citizens to defense, overcoming advocacy obstacles in Iran, ensuring fair access to justice, and advancing transitional justice, and it will organize training courses for this group of young lawyers. Underlying these trainings are the following observations:
 

1. Despite all the obstacles to due process and fair trial in Iran, the right to an independent lawyer is important and can make a significant difference. If this was not the case, the Islamic Republic’s officials and security forces would not put so much effort to manipulate the legal procedures and make it so difficult for the defendants to obtain independent legal counsel.

2. In all countries, the legal profession is more than just an understanding of the laws; it is an art. Nevertheless, to be a lawyer defending human rights in the Islamic Republic requires specialized applied training, deep experience, and extensive knowledge of the specific judicial practices in the country in order to successfully defend citizens.

3. Being a lawyer in human rights cases and strengthening the right to seek justice, has unique complexities. The legal defender should have a comprehensive understanding not only of the law but also of behavioral sciences, psychology, and security matters, in order to be able to safely bring themselves and their clients to a secure place amidst the state’s power.

4. The Islamic Republic’s authoritarian political system deliberately cuts off the connection between experienced educators in human rights law and capable and interested lawyers. Using various methods, including intimidation, isolation, persecution, and granting educational positions to compliant and obedient individuals, it tries to ensure that this knowledge is not transferred to interested lawyers. This magnifies the need to strengthen young lawyers in the defense of human rights.

Consequently, through a series of professional and content-rich courses, Parsi Law will provide detailed guidance on how to practice human rights law, along with methods to escape professional pitfalls and respond effectively when faced with security officials. Through these course we aim to protect individual and societal rights and freedoms, strengthen civil society, and consolidate the next generation of human rights lawyers.

Parsi Law encourages you to support this endeavor by sending us your messages, views, and questions.