Mohammad Najafi

{{Infobox person

| name = Mohammad Najafi

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|3|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Shazand, Iran

| nationality = Iranian

| occupation = {{Hlist|Lawyer|Human rights activist}}

| years_active = 2009–present {{cite web |title=Mohammad Najafi |url=https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/3994 |website=Iran Prison Atlas |access-date=12 February 2025}}

| known_for = Advocacy for political prisoners, including the case of Vahid Heydari {{cite news |title=Iran: Deaths of Detained Protesters Raise Concerns of Ill-Treatment |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/09/iran-deaths-detained-protesters-raise-concerns-ill-treatment |access-date=12 February 2025 |agency=Human Rights Watch |date=9 January 2018}}

| opponents = Government of Iran

| criminal_charges = {{Hlist|Insulting the Supreme Leader|Spreading lies|Propaganda against the regime}}

| criminal_penalty = 14 years in prison and 74 lashes

}}

Mohammad Najafi ({{langx|fa|محمد نجفی}}; born 22 March 1975) is an Iranian lawyer, human rights activist, and political prisoner. He has been repeatedly detained and sentenced to long prison terms by the Iranian security forces due to his involvement in human rights cases, such as the case of Vahid Heydari, a protester who died under suspicious circumstances in a detention center in Arak during the 2017–2018 Iranian protests.{{cite news |title=Iran: Arrests of lawyers and women's rights activists signal intensifying crackdown on civil society |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2018/09/iran-arrests-of-lawyers-and-womens-rights-activists-signal-intensifying-crackdown-on-civil-society/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |agency=Amnesty International |date=3 September 2018}}{{cite news |title=Iran: Protesters Sentenced in Unfair Trials |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/11/05/iran-protesters-sentenced-unfair-trials |access-date=12 February 2025 |agency=Human Rights Watch |date=5 November 2018}} A vocal critic of the Iranian government, Najafi has been sentenced to over 14 years in prison on charges including "insulting the Supreme Leader", "spreading lies", and "propaganda against the regime".{{Cite news |title=Jailed Lawyer Mohammad Najafi's Legal Case |url=https://prisonatlas.com/وکیل-در-بند/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran Prison Atlas |date=14 January 2021 |language=Persian}}

During his imprisonment, Najafi has gone on hunger strikes several times, and due to his deteriorating health, human rights organizations and Iranian lawyers have repeatedly raised concerns about his condition.{{Cite news |title=Warning about the deteriorating health of Mohammad Najafi |url=https://www.radiofarda.com/a/warning-about-inappropriate-physical-conditions-mohammad-najafi-lawyer/32323917.html |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Radio Farda |date=18 March 2023 |language=Persian}}

Early life and career

Mohammad Najafi was an attorney in Shazand, Iran. He became well known for his voluntary defense of political detainees, his investigation into cases related to the deaths of protesters, and his interviews with international media. His outspoken criticism of the suppression of protesters in Iran led to multiple arrests and threats. Since 2017, he has faced nine judicial orders.{{Cite news |title=Lawyer Mohammad Najafi Faces New Convictions for Supporting Protests |url=https://iranhr.net/en/articles/5718/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran Human Rights |date=29 January 2023}}

Arrests and sentences

= Initial arrests =

Najafi's first arrest took place on 9 February 2017, while he was filming a protest by workers at the HEPCO factory in Arak.{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Arrested While Filming Workers Protest |url=https://www.radiozamaneh.com/324000/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Radio Zamaneh |date=9 February 2017 |language=Persian}}

On 16 January 2018, after pursuing the case of Vahid Haydari, a protester who died in detention during the December 2017 protests, Najafi was arrested again.{{Cite news |title=Security Forces Arrest Mohammad Najafi in Arak |url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-human-rights-justice/4209775.html |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Voice of America |date=16 January 2018 |language=Persian}}{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Arrested Again |url=https://old.iranintl.com/سیاست/محمد-نجفی-بازداشت-شد |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran International |date=16 January 2018 |language=Persian}}

= Legal sentences =

On 30 August 2018, Mohammad Najafi was sentenced to 3 years in prison and 74 lashes.{{Cite news |title=Flogging and Prison Sentence for Iranian Lawyer |url=https://iranhr.net/en/articles/3455/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran Human Rights |date=1 September 2018}}
On 11 December 2018, the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to an additional 10 years in prison, bringing his total sentence to 14 years.{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Given 14-Year Sentence |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-46533366 |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=BBC Persian |date=11 December 2018 |language=Persian}}{{Cite news |title=Iranian Lawyer Mohammad Najafi Sentenced to 10 More Years |url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-human-rights-justice/4696113.html |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Voice of America |date=11 December 2018 |language=Persian}}
On 12 April 2023, he was sentenced to another 3 years in prison in a new case, along with a 150 million rial fine.{{Cite news |title=New Legal Case Results in 3-Year Prison Sentence for Mohammad Najafi |url=https://rfi.my/9MRY |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Radio France Internationale |date=12 April 2023 |language=Persian}}

= Hunger strikes and protests in prison =

Najafi has gone on several hunger strikes during his imprisonment:

19 August 2019: After protesting against Ali Khamenei and publishing a critical letter, he was transferred to solitary confinement and began a hunger strike, which continued until he was returned to the general prison ward.{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Hunger Strike after Protest Against Khamenei |url=https://old.iranintl.com/ايران/انتقال-به-قرنطینه-و-آغاز-اعتصاب-غذای-محمد-نجفی،-وکیل-زندانی،-پس-از-اعتراض-به-خامنه‌ای |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran International |date=19 August 2019 |language=Persian}}{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Ends His Hunger Strike |url=https://www.kampain.info/archive/36363.htm |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Campaign to Defend Political and Civil Prisoners |date=22 August 2019 |language=Persian}} He cited one of the reasons for his hunger strike as the false case fabrication against his wife and child by the Intelligence Directorate of Arak.
12 April 2023: After being denied medical care, Najafi started another hunger strike that lasted 55 days, severely deteriorating his health.{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Starts Hunger Strike After Denial of Medical Care |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/articles/cjmzdnjzr3go |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=BBC Persian |date=12 April 2023 |language=Persian}}

Health issues and denial of treatment

During his imprisonment, Mohammad Najafi has faced serious health issues, yet authorities have repeatedly prevented his transfer to hospitals:

26 August 2021: Despite suffering a heart attack and promises from prison authorities, Najafi was denied medical leave or transfer to an outside hospital.{{Cite news |title=Lawyer Mohammad Najafi Denied Medical Treatment 22 Days After Heart Attack in Prison |url=https://iranhr.net/en/articles/4865/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran Human Rights |date=26 August 2021}}
25 April 2023: Despite his illness, Najafi was returned to prison before completing his treatment.{{Cite news |title=Mohammad Najafi Returned to Prison Despite Unfinished Treatment |url=https://iranhrs.org/محمد-نجفی-وکیل-دادگستری/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Iran Human Rights Society |date=25 April 2023 |language=Persian}}

Efforts to revoke his law license

On 3 September 2023, the Iranian judiciary attempted to revoke Mohammad Najafi’s law license. This move was met with widespread protests from Iranian lawyers.{{Cite news |title=Iranian Judiciary Attempts to Revoke Mohammad Najafi's Law License |url=https://iranwire.com/fa/news-1/120087 |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=IranWire |date=3 September 2023 |language=Persian}}

Reactions and support

Human rights activists and international organizations have repeatedly protested the situation of Mohammad Najafi:

Amnesty International has called for his immediate release.{{Cite news |title=Amnesty International Calls for Mohammad Najafi's Release |url=https://www.radiofarhang.nu/archive/30950.htm |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Radio Farhang |date=26 June 2020 |language=Persian}}{{cite news |title=Amnesty International condemns the 'harsh sentence' of Amir Salar Davoodi |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-48507224 |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=BBC Persian |date=3 June 2019 |language=Persian}}
Iran Human Rights Organization has stated that Najafi has been imprisoned due to legal activities defending the rights of citizens, facing fabricated charges and unfair sentences.{{cite news |title=Iran Human Rights Organization: The Islamic Republic views human rights defenders as a threat to national security |url=https://www.radiozamaneh.com/434362/ |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Radio Zamaneh |date=23 February 2019 |language=Persian}}
Iranian lawyers, both inside and outside the country, such as Shirin Ebadi and Nasrin Sotoudeh, have protested his continued detention and urged the international community to put pressure on Iran for his release.{{cite news |title=Shirin Ebadi calls for the immediate release of Mohammad Najafi, imprisoned lawyer |url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-mohamad-najafi-imprisoned-lawyer-to-lose-certificate/7298613.html |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Voice of America |date=5 October 2023 |language=Persian}}

Awards

= European Bar Associations Award for Human Rights =

On 28 November 2019 (7 Azar 1398), the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe awarded their Human Rights Prize to four Iranian lawyers, including Mohammad Najafi and Nasrin Sotoudeh. Three of these four lawyers, including Mohammad Najafi, were in prison at the time of receiving the award for defending political prisoners.{{cite news |title=Nasrin Sotoudeh, Abdolfattah Soltani, Amir Salar Davoodi, and Mohammad Najafi win the European Lawyers and Jurists Association Award |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-50587715 |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=BBC Persian |date=28 November 2019 |language=Persian}}{{cite news |title=Four Iranian Human Rights Lawyers Awarded EU Human Rights Prize |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/four-iranian-human-rights-lawyers-awarded-eu-human-rights-prize/30300240.html |access-date=12 February 2025 |agency=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=30 November 2019}}

= Iranian Defenders of Human Rights Award =

Defenders of Human Rights Center awarded the "Human Rights Advocate" prize in 2019 to Mohammad Najafi, the imprisoned lawyer and human rights activist. Mohammad Seifzadeh, Abdolfattah Soltani, and Masoumeh Dehghan, representatives of the association, attended his home in Arak and presented the award statue to Najafi’s family.{{cite news |title=The Iranian Defenders of Human Rights Award presented to the family of Mohammad Najafi, imprisoned lawyer |url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-human-rights-lawyer-/5203221.html |accessdate=12 February 2025 |publisher=Voice of America |date=12 December 2019 |language=Persian}}