The following is based on a communication written by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Iran on 27 November 2025. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government time to reply. Unfortunately, the Government did not respond within this time frame. If a response is received, it will be posted on the UN Special Procedures communications database.
According to information received by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mr. Taher Naghavi continues to be denied access to medical care in Evin Prison. Despite needing surgery, no treatment has been provided to him.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
BACKGROUND
Topic: the poor prison conditions of and a lack of appropriate medical attention for human rights defenders and lawyers Mr. Taher Naghavi and [name redacted], as well as the introduction of the charge of espionage against the latter.
Mr. Taher Naghavi is a lawyer and human rights defender, who has represented political prisoners and has defended ethnic minorities in Iran, especially Azerbaijani Turks. He also represented a number of political defendants and the families of those killed during the 2022 Woman Life Freedom protests, sparked by the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini. He serves as the director of the Azerbaijani Literary Association in Alborz Province.
Mr. [name redacted] has represented ethnic activists in Iran’s Azerbaijan Province. He also supported the 2022 Woman Life Freedom protests; he was a co-signatory of an open letter by 70 Iranian jurists calling for the abolition of the “morality police” and for an independent investigation into human rights violations. He also followed up on the situation of detained protestors and lawyers during that period.
Mr. Naghavi was the subject of communication IRN 20/2024, sent on 26 November 2024. We thank the Iranian Government for the response received. However, in light of the following information received, we remain concerned about the situation of Mr. Naghavi, in particular regarding his health condition and a lack of appropriate medical attention.
Concerns over the crackdown on lawyers and minority groups was the subject of a previous communication sent by Special Procedures on 4 October 2022 (IRN 20/2022). We thank the Government for the response but remain concerned that the violations continue.
ALLEGATIONS
The case of Mr. Taher Naghavi
On 6 February 2024, Mr. Naghavi was arrested from his home by seven agents from the Ministry of Intelligence. All his electronic devices were confiscated. He was charged with “propaganda against the state” and “assembly and collusion with the intent to undermine national security,” and detained. During his detention for 40 days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, he was reportedly subjected to physical assault, sexual harassment, threats, and denied access to a lawyer.
On 22 October 2024, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Mr. Naghavi to a total of six years in prison, five of which were for “assembly and collusion with the intent to undermine national security” and one for “propaganda against the state”. He was also given supplementary punishments, including a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition from joining political parties. Mr. Naghavi appealed the verdict.
In November 2024, after refusing to wear prison clothing and restraints, Mr. Naghavi reportedly faced retaliation, including lack of access to hospital services and healthcare. While in detention, his health condition has deteriorated significantly.
In January 2025, the Tehran Court of Appeals, Branch 36 upheld the verdict. Mr. Naghavi is currently serving his sentence in Evin Prison.
On 29 September 2025, the Iranian Bar Association Disciplinary Court issued a ruling suspending Mr. Naghavi’s law license.
Since his arrival at Evin Prison, Mr. Naghavi has reportedly suffered from [redacted]. Prison doctors have reportedly recommended an MRI and specialist tests, though these have yet to take place.
On 20 April 2025, Mr. Naghavi was moved to Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital in Tehran after his health condition further deteriorated. Hospital tests revealed a worsening of his condition, including [redacted] that required immediate surgery. At the time of writing, no such treatment has been carried out.
In July 2025, Mr. Naghavi’s health further deteriorated. Mr. Naghavi had been transferred to Fashafouyeh Prison along with other political prisoners following the Israeli strikes on 23 June 2025. Poor prison conditions in Fashafouyeh and continued denial of medical care further worsened Mr. Naghavi’s symptoms.
On 27 October 2025, Mr. Taher Naghavi, along with a number of other prisoners, started a hunger strike to protest authorities’ treatment, including their ongoing denial of medical care. Instead of providing him with the treatment he needs, in early November authorities transferred him to solitary confinement in Section 240 of Evin Prison.
As of 5 November 2025, Mr. Naghavi is held in Section 240 of Evin Prison. This Section sustained damages during the 23 June Israeli attack and lacks access to hot water, a heating system, and bathroom facilities. The cell in which Mr. Naghavi is held is cold given that temperatures are dropping, in particular in north Tehran where the prison is located. Mr. Naghavi is suffering from [redacted].
The case of the other human rights defender
On 14 May 2025, the human rights defenderwas arrested by Iran’s intelligence agents and held in solitary confinement for over three months in the Intelligence Service Detention Centre during the period of interrogation into the accusation of “propaganda against the State.” He had no access to his lawyer or any communication tools.
On 18 July 2025, he was transferred to Tabriz Prison Quarantine Ward and kept in isolation in a cell that is used for solitary confinement.
On 26 July 2025, he was charged with “propaganda against the State.”
He was transferred to the Tabriz Prison Public Ward at the time of writing of this letter, and the prosecution has extended his detention in the Tabriz Prison Quarantine Ward on a monthly basis, leaving it open to the possible addition of new charges. He has been denied telephone calls and visits from his lawyer and family and has not been provided with access to essential medication.
In September 2025, during a remote hearing via video conferencing, the Tabriz Revolutionary Court filed a new charge of “espionage for the Republic of Azerbaijan” against the human rights defender. If convicted, he faces the death penalty or up to 15 years in prison.
A new espionage bill, the ‘Bill for Intensifying the Punishment of Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile States’, was introduced immediately after the military attacks and came into effect on 1 October 2025. Espionage was already a capital offence, but the bill expands the scope of conduct considered espionage to include activities linked to information dissemination and media work, such as contact with foreign and diaspora media outlets.
The accusation reportedly stems from his participation in an academic conference in Baku seven years earlier, where he presented a paper analyzing Iran’s judicial system. Known for defending political and ethnic minority activists and for signing a 2022 open letter by 70 jurists calling for an investigation into protest-related abuse, his detention appears to be retaliation for his peaceful academic and human rights work.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we express serious concern regarding the upholding of a verdict against Mr. Naghavi which is based on the criminalisation of actions taken as a lawyer and human rights defender, as well as the suspension of his license to practice law, which appears to be in relation to his work as a human rights lawyer and his peaceful advocacy of minority rights. We are also deeply concerned at the continued deterioration in his health condition, the repeated denial of timely access to adequate medical attention and, despite his transfer to hospital, a lack of the urgent care needed as confirmed by hospital tests.
We are equally concerned at the arrest and charges pressed against [name redacted], which appear to be linked to his work as a human rights lawyer defending ethnic minority rights and supporting women’s rights. We are particularly concerned at the new charge of espionage, for which he could face the death sentence or long-term prison if convicted.
In the light of several communications on related matters sent to the Iranian Government in past months, these actions seem to reflect a broader pattern, indicative of a crackdown on lawyers and minority groups in Iran. Such practices trigger a serious chilling effect on lawyers, human rights defenders and minority groups, deterring or impeding them to carry out their work.
If confirmed, the facts alleged would violate article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran acceded to on 24 June 1975, which enshrines the protection of the right to liberty and security of a person and establishes that no one shall be deprived of his or her liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law. Certain allegations would also conflict with the State’s obligations to treat arrested and detained persons with dignity and humanity, in line with articles 7 and 10 of the ICCPR. They would also conflict with the so-called Mandela Rules, adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly and which recognize the responsibility of States to provide health care for prisoners. The broad charges of “propaganda against the State” both against these human rights defenders show that their prosecution is in direct connection with the exercise of to respect freedom of opinion and expression and thus could violate article 19 ICCPR.
We wish to recall that according to international standards, States must guarantee that those who practice law can do so free from intimidation, obstacles, harassment, or interference. The free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of state power, protection of due process and judicial guarantees.
It is pertinent to remind the Government of Iran that, according to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, governments have the duty to ensure that legal professionals are able to perform all of their functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference, including threats of prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with their recognized professional duties, standards and ethics (principles 16 and 17).
