A/HRC/25/26 that the trial was not in the best interest of the Government and that they should remain confined.21 The Secretary-General and the special procedures have repeatedly called for the immediate release of the two opposition leaders, declaring their detention arbitrary and in violation of the international obligations and national laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.22 18. The two opposition leaders have been denied regular contacts with their relatives and their access to adequate medical care has been limited, despite their having serious health complications including high blood pressure and worsening heart conditions. The authorities reportedly only allow pre-approved visits from immediate family members and, in some instances, the security forces have allegedly physically assaulted visitors. For example, on 24 October 2013, the daughters of Mr. Mossavi complained of physical assault at the hands of security agents during a visit to their parents.23 The Secretary-General urges the President to consider the immediate release of the two opposition leaders, and to facilitate their urgent and adequate access to medical care. 19. Prominent human rights activists and lawyers, such as Abdolfattah Soltani, Mohammad Ali Dadkha and Mohammad Seifzadeh, are serving prison terms for charges that are believed to be linked to their legitimate professional work. Mr. Soltani is serving a 13-year sentence imposed by the Revolutionary Court for establishing and managing an association that endangered national security, propaganda against the system, unlawful association and conspiracy with the intention to disturb public security, and acquisition of wealth through illegitimate means. The court also banned him from practising law for 20 years. In an opinion issued on 7 August 2013, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found the imprisonment of Mr. Soltani arbitrary and sought his immediate release.24 The Working Group concluded that: “[T]he detention of Mr. Soltani is motivated exclusively by his human rights and/or political activities, activities constituting the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is party.”25 Furthermore, in November 2013, the Appeal Court upheld a one-year prison sentence for Ms. Massumeh Dehghan, the wife of Mr. Soltani. She was charged with propaganda against the system for travelling abroad and receiving the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award given to her husband. 20. In September 2013, the Appeal Court upheld a six-year sentence against Mohammad Seifzadeh, a prominent human rights lawyer and member of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, founded by Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi. The sentence was initially imposed on Mr. Seifzadeh on charges of collusion to take action against national security and spreading propaganda against the system. Since 2011 Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, another prominent lawyer and co-founder of the Centre, has been serving a nine-year prison sentence coupled with a 10-year occupation ban on charges including membership of the 21 22 23 24 25 8 Ibid., 17 January 2014, available at http://www.isna.ir. On 29 August 2012, the Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted opinion No. 30/2012 on this case, finding the detention to be arbitrary, as none of those people had been charged with a crime since their arrest, nor had they been brought before a judge to contest the legality of their detention. Human Rights Watch, “Iran: 1,000 days under house arrest”, 12 November 2013. Available at www.hrw.org/news/2013/11/11/iran-1000-days-under-house-arrest. A/HRC/WGAD/2012/54, opinion No. 54/2012 of 7 August 2013, available at http://www.nuernberg.de/imperia/md/menschenrechte/dokumente/preisverleihungen/hrc_wg_on_arbit ray_detention_soltani_2013.pdf. Ibid. In their comments on this report, the authorities claimed that Mr. Soltani enjoyed access to legal services and had frequent visits to medical doctors for treatment. They accused Mr. Soltani of having contributed to the establishment of the Society of the Defenders of Human Rights without obtaining a legal permit, suspicious interaction with certain foreign embassies in Tehran, receiving money from foreign intelligence agencies and having ties with the Mujahideen-e-Khalq organization (MEK).