Saleh Nikbakht () is an Iranian lawyer and academic. He is the spokesman for the Society of Political Prisoners in Iran.
Activities Nikbakht is from Saqqez and studied law and holds a doctoral degree from Tehran University.
Nikbakht was involved in controversial cases including Hashem Aghajari, Abbas Abdi, Emad Baghi and 2009 presidential election detainees. Nikbakht is representing former deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, ex-government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, former deputy economy minister Mohsen Safai-Farahani and former vice-president Mohammad Ali Abtahi.
Nikbakht is the lawyer for the family of Mahsa Amini, whose death in 2022 triggered widespread protests throughout Iran. In August 2023, he was subsequently charged with "propaganda against the state" by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran; his lawyer has alleged these charges stemmed from his interviews with domestic and foreign media outlets.
Conviction In October 2023, Saleh Nikbakht was called to court on the charge of propagandizing against the Islamic Republic of Iran during an interview with Persian-language TV channels outside Iran about the case of Mahsa Amini, and was finally sentenced to one year in prison and two years of being banned from using cyberspace.Attorney For Mahsa Amini Family Sentenced To Prison, Iran International, October 18, 2023 In this regard, his lawyer stated that there is no evidence of propaganda against the regime in Nikbakht's interviews.Iranian Court Jails Lawyer for Mahsa Amini's Family, VOA News, October 18, 2023Iranian Court Sentences Amini Lawyer To Prison For Foreign Media Interviews , Rdio Farda, October 18, 2023
European Parliament Nikbakht represented Mahsa Amini, who was given the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought posthumously at a ceremony in Strasbourg by The European Parliament. Nikbakht also read the message of Mehsa Amini's mother at the ceremony.Sakharov Prize: Parliament honours Jina Mahsa Amini and Iranian women protesters, December 12, 2023Mahsa Amini Honoured With Europe's 2023 Sakharov Prize, Iran International TV, December 12, 2023EU remembers Iranian woman who died in custody at awarding of Sakharov human rights prize, AP news, December 12, 2023EU honors Iran protest icon Amini with Sakharov Prize, DW, December 12, 2023
References