EUROPEAN UNION Brussels, 13 March 2012
A 117/12
Statement by the spokesperson of the High Representative Catherine Ashton on the case of Mr Abdolfattah Soltani

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:
‘The High Representative is very concerned by the exceedingly harsh verdict given by an Iranian Court to Mr Abdolfattah Soltani, a prominent Iranian lawyer who bravely stood up to defend the rights of numerous human rights activists in his country.
The 18-year prison sentence and the 20-year ban from practising law imposed by the court constitute another unacceptable attack against the legal profession in Iran.
The High Representative calls on Iran to drop all charges against him and to release him immediately.’