A/HRC/28/70 and ethnic minorities and others who peacefully exercise internationally recognized rights are frequently convicted of national security offences. C. Freedom from arbitrary detention 19. There has been considerable focus on the continued house arrest of Green Movement leaders and former presidential candidates. The country is approaching the fourth anniversary of the confinement of Mehdi Karroubi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, Mr. Mousavi’s wife, as well as the anniversary of the demonstrations that took place in 2009. Between 2011 and 2013, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued 10 opinions regarding the detention of 13 Iranians, including those of the aforementioned opposition leaders and several journalists, lawyers, a Christian pastor and a student activist (see annex I). The Government has responded to 3 of the 10 communications. 20. In its opinions, the Working Group concluded that 12 of the 13 individuals appeared to have been detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, opinion, religion, belief or association, and encouraged the Government to immediately release individuals charged with the legitimate exercise of those freedoms and to compensate them for their arbitrary detention. One such prisoner, Nasrin Soutodeh, was released prior to the expiration of her sentence, while Bahman Ahmadi Amouee and Kiarash Kamrani were released following the completion of their sentences. None of the individuals have been compensated as recommended by the Working Group. D. Independence of lawyers 21. International standards recognize the right of lawyers to practise their profession in accordance with generally recognized professional ethics without restrictions, influence, pressure or undue interference from any quarter. 7 An independent bar association and the ability to practice law independently provide indispensable guarantees for the protection of human rights and access to justice. As one representative of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute has stated: “Lawyers cannot adequately and properly perform their duties while subject to external interference and controls over their ability to practice.”8 22. In 2012, the International Bar Association and the Special Rapporteur expressed concern over the Bill of Formal Attorneyship, which would expand the Government’s influence over the country’s Bar Association. In the report he submitted to the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session (A/68/503), the Special Rapporteur welcomed the Government’s decision to suspend the consideration of the Bill. 9 23. In September 2014, several amended versions of the draft Bill were submitted to Parliament.10 It is of concern that the Bill still provides for significant government 7 8 9 10 See, for example, the Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 32 (2007) on the right to equality before courts and tribunals and to a fair trial, para. 34. International Bar Association, “Iran urged to stop infringements on the independence of the legal profession by global lawyers’ body”, 26 March 2013. Available from www.ibanet.org/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=ac631d72-4d4b-4b4b-b112-206e183c86b8. See also Iranian Students’ News Agency (semi-official news), 22 June 2014, www.isna.ir/fa/news/92040100629/. Dolat (official website), 23 September 2014, www.dolat.ir/NSite/FullStory/News/?Serv=1&Id=249673, and Icbar (official website), 22 April 2014, http://icbar.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=55&ctl=Edit&mid =435&Code=1403. 7