Iran arrests lawyer who criticised crackdown following Mahsa Amini’s death

Authorities in Iran on Sunday (July 7) arresteda lawyer who publicly criticised the government crackdown on the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. Massive unrest followedthe death of the 22-year-old Amini, who was detained by the policefor allegedly not properly wearing her mandatory hijab.

Citing Iranian media, a report by the news agency Associated Press said that lawyerMohsen Borhani had been placed under arrest. Borhani, who was a professor at the Tehran University, had been previously sentencedbut there were no details on his case or jail time. The arrest comes afterreformist Masoud Pezeshkian was elected as Iran's president.

The criticism of Iranian authorities

Borhani gained prominence on social media for his critical view of authoritiesduring the 2022 demonstrations following Amini's death thatsparked a security crackdown that killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.

A report by Iran International on Sunday said that Borhani was fired from his job at Tehran University last year amida purge of professors supporting the protests.

In August 2023,a joint case by multipleIranian security and intelligence institutions was filed against Borhani following his criticism of the government for suppressing citizens, especially women who flouted the hijab laws.

In a post on X, the lawyer said that the agencies who filed a case against him included the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Guardian Council.

The timing of Borhani's arrest

Borhani's arrest came a day afterreformist Masoud Pezeshkian was elected as Iran's president.

Pezeshkian has promised to ease enforcement of the mandatory headscarf law and reach out to the West after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic.

(With inputs from agencies)