Sina Yousefi: In Iran, Judges Oath to Protect the Foundations of the Islamic Republic, Not to Be Impartial

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, January 27, 2025

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

After the armed attack on January 18 at the Supreme Court building in Tehran, which resulted in the deaths of two senior judges, the special role of hardline, pro-Islamic Republic judges in the Iranian judicial system has been discussed once again.

In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer Sina Yousefi stated that judges in Iran swear an oath not to make impartial and independent decisions but to support the supreme religious leader and protect the foundations of the Islamic Republic.

Sina Yousefi: The Adoption of the "Hijab and Chastity" Law Legalizes Violence Against Women in Iran

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, September 25, 2024

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

The Guardian Council in Iran recently passed the "Hijab and Chastity" law, which strengthens the state’s control over women's clothing. According to a report from the ISNA agency, the speaker of the Iranian parliament is expected to announce the new law soon.

In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer Sina Yousefi commented on the new law, stating that it legalizes the violence already being perpetrated against women in Iran.

Sina Yousefi: The UN Must Extend Its Fact-Finding Mission to Address Ongoing Repression in Iran

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, April 15, 2024

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer Sina Yousefi discussed the extension of the United Nations fact-finding mission on the 2022 protests in Iran, as well as the recent case of Turkish activists arrested in various provinces of Iran and transferred to Tehran’s Evin Prison in the first week of February.

Sina Yousefi: Iran's Restrictions Have Drastically Reduced the Number of Human Rights Lawyers

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, February 29, 2024

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

In an interview with Voice of America, human rights lawyer Sina Yousefi, currently living in exile, highlighted that the number of human rights lawyers in Iran has drastically decreased due to the policies and restrictions imposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to Yousefi, after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government gradually implemented policies to limit the activities of lawyers and undermine the independence of the Bar Association.

Sina Yousefi: Judges and Prosecutors in Tabriz Take Orders from Iranian Intelligence

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 10, 2023

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer and human rights advocate Sina Yousefi discussed the pressure and illegal practices applied to political activists who have been interrogated for nearly three months by the intelligence department in Tabriz.

Yousefi also commented on the recent increase in pressures on women’s clothing in various cities in Iran under the name "Promoting Good Deeds."

Sina Yousefi: Iran's New "Hijab and Chastity" Law to Impose Harsh Penalties for Violations

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, October 30, 2023

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

In an interview with Voice of America, lawyer Sina Yousefi discussed the court cases of political activists currently detained in Tabriz, the legislative process of the Islamic Republic of Iran's "Hijab and Chastity" project, and the pressures women face regarding the hijab issue.

Sina Yousefi stated that the cases of political activists detained in Tabriz for weeks have not yet been officially handed over to the judiciary.

Sina Yousefi: We Went to Court Over Lake Urmia's Situation, and They Asked Us for the Lake's Property Document

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, July 3, 2023

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

According to human rights lawyer Sina Yousefi, who spoke to Voice of America, lawyers defending the population who have applied to the court regarding environmental issues, air pollution, and wages in Iranian Azerbaijan are subject to systematic pressure from security agencies.

In the interview, Yousefi also revealed that, together with a group of lawyers and a non-governmental organization, they had filed a lawsuit against the bodies responsible for the drying of Lake Urmia in previous years. He said, “They asked us for the property document of Lake Urmia, and they did not accept us as interested parties.”

Sina Yousefi: Legal Experts' Involvement in Human and Language Rights Is Necessary

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, March 31, 2023

Sina Yousefi, Human Rights Lawyer

A group of lawyers and legal experts, including Fatemeh Javidmehr, Arzu Abdullahi, Ghasem Boedi, Naghi Mahmoudi, Amir Mehdipur, and Sina Yousefi, have recently established the Azerbaijan Human Rights Organization to bring attention to human rights violations in Iranian Azerbaijan.

One of the founding members, human rights lawyer Sina Yousefi, stated in an interview with Voice of America that the organization will focus on issues such as the rights of political prisoners in Iranian Azerbaijan, the death penalty, national and cultural rights, language rights, women's rights and gender equality, as well as environmental and labor rights.

Sina Yousefi: Lawyers Defending Political Activists in Iran's Courts Have Always Faced Government Pressure

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, January 14, 2023

Lawyer and human rights activist Sina Yusufi

In an interview with VOA Persian, human rights lawyer Sina Yousefi discussed the pressures faced by lawyers supporting citizens detained in connection with the months-long protests in Iran. He noted that lawyers defending individuals charged with political and security-related offenses have always been subject to pressure.