The US State Department called on Iran to release people detained after a memorial ceremony for Iranian human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, warning of risks of abuse and unfair treatment.
“After the arrest of 39 people at the memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, and even more afterward, including members of his family, authorities have refused to provide a full list of detainees, the charges against them, or where they are being held,” the department said in a post on its Persian-language X account.
“Without transparency and due process, the risk of torture and fabricated charges increases,” it said.
The State Department said detainees had been denied access to legal counsel, necessary medication and contact with their families, and were subjected to violence and threats.
“We call for their unconditional release, immediate medical care for those in need, an end to violent attacks on peaceful gatherings, and respect for the right of society to peaceful assembly and free expression,” it said.
US calls lawyer's death suspicious
The department earlier denounced what it called the suspicious death of Alikordi, a 46-year-old lawyer who represented jailed protesters and families of people killed during demonstrations.
“He devoted his life to defending Iranians who were fighting for freedom, even though he knew it meant putting his own life at risk,” the State Department said, calling his death “a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who fight for their rights in Iran.”
Alikordi was found dead earlier this month in his office in Mashhad, according to Iranian media. A lawyers’ news outlet said he died of cardiac arrest, while other lawyers and activists questioned that account and called for an independent investigation.
