Lawyer for Kurdish Political Prisoners Put on Trial

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran - Charges Stem from Information He Gave UN on Prison Conditions

A Kurdish human rights lawyer has been tried on charges of membership in an illegal political group and propaganda against the state for providing information on prison conditions to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, a source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Masoud Shamsinejad appeared at Branch 2 of Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court under Judge Sheikhlou on May 7, 2014. He was defended by three lawyers, Mohammad Saleh Nikhbakht, Abbas Jamal, and Osman Mozayan.

In addition to giving information about conditions in Orumiyeh Prison in West Azerbaijan Province to Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed, Shamsinejad is accused of giving interviews to Kurdish media abroad.

“The Intelligence Ministry wants to accuse him of supporting Kurdish [armed] groups because he was a lawyer for Kurdish political activists,” the source told the Campaign.

Shamsinejad, a former professor at two universities in Orumiyeh, represented many Kurdish political prisoners, including Habibollah Golparipour, Ali Afshari, and Razgar Afshari, who were executed.

Shamsinejad was arrested on May 9, 2013, and interrogated for 33 days at the Orumiyeh Intelligence Office. He was released on 10 billion rials (nearly $400,000) bail two months later.