The presence of an independent legal profession and the participation of free and courageous lawyers in court proceedings is one of the fundamental pillars of achieving judicial justice. This requires essential preparations, the most crucial of which is creating suitable conditions for all defendants, and even litigants in civil cases, to have access to competent and independent lawyers.
The need for defendants to have a lawyer to defend themselves against charges is as crucial as the need for patients to have access to a specialist doctor to diagnose and treat their illnesses. Just as patients are generally unable to diagnose the cause of their illness and the treatment methods, defendants and incarcerated individuals also lack sufficient knowledge about the legal mechanisms and the provisions that guarantee their human and fundamental rights.
It is clear that the presence of lawyers, who possess suitable legal knowledge, logical reasoning skills, inherent courage, and sufficient candor in presenting robust and well-reasoned defense arguments, is a fundamental factor in the credibility of any judicial system and the acceptance of court proceedings and verdicts by the public. With such essential prerequisites, the credibility of the judiciary will increase, and the rulings issued by the courts will gain the necessary acceptance from public opinion.
However, the legal profession is only one of the pillars of the judicial system. Without the presence of qualified, fair, capable judges who are knowledgeable about procedural and substantive laws and are determined to uphold justice and the complete independence of the judiciary, the efforts of lawyers to defend the accused and the helpless and to add credibility to the judicial process will be in vain. As the saying goes, “One hand cannot clap.”
In these bitter and difficult times, when the Iranian nation is facing numerous problems, and thousands of our compatriots are spending the hardest days of their lives behind bars or in detention centers on various charges, with their families and relatives often in a state of desperation and seeking ways to defend their loved ones, the existence of competent and brave lawyers willing to use their knowledge and abilities, guided by their awakened conscience, to uphold the rights of the defenseless defendants as a testament to their professional oath, and who do not fear threats, noise, and the disturbing clamor, is a divine blessing and the most important source of hope for these sufferers. It ensures that justice never fades and, as long as they tread this difficult path with tireless and steadfast steps, one can believe that truth and righteousness will endure and the guardian angel of justice will not completely abandon this land.
My dear friend and esteemed teacher, Mr. Kak Saleh Nikbakht, is a tangible example and one of the dozens of honorable and capable jurists and lawyers who have combined their valuable legal knowledge and experience with remarkable courage and fairness in defending their clients. Whether as a lawyer or as a competent expert through interviews and specialized articles, he has upheld his professional integrity like a precious gem. Although he has not always achieved the desired outcomes in his cases, and the loss of life of some of his clients and the disregard for his defenses by some judges are among the bitterest memories of his life, he has succeeded in saving numerous clients from the brink of the gallows, making him a symbol of resilience, steadfastness, and capability for them and their families.
His commitment to his profession and his clients is such that even on his sickbed in the hospital, he is concerned about their release and the relief of their families from suffering and anxiety.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on Lawyer’s Day to him and all the free and honorable lawyers, and I wish them health and increasing honor.
