But in a system where torture is endemic and executions are rapidly rising, the stakes for Sotoudeh are higher than ever. This recent arrest is therefore not only a deprivation of her liberty, but of potentially her life.
Sotoudeh’s struggles are emblematic of many lawyers in Iran and around the world.
Globally, lawyers are under attack. Authoritarians are abusing the legal system to persecute and prosecute their opponents, with a seemingly ever-growing list of trumped-up charges and sham trials. As dissidents are detained, journalists jailed, and freedom of expression extinguished, lawyers are often the last line of defense. Because of this, lawyers have now become the target, transformed from counsel to accused, and from constitutionalists to criminals.
In the struggle against authoritarianism, it may seem futile to rely on broken and corrupt justice systems to benefit citizens. Yet, the courage and determination of lawyers who insist upon proper enforcement of the law, even in corrupt and dictatorial regimes, stand as their own form of powerful dissent. In attacking lawyers, authoritarians reveal a deep fear that fair trials and the rule of law threaten their power.