Event Date
Members of the UC Davis community have been watching events unfold in Iran since nationwide protests broke out on December 28, 2025, recently compounded by ongoing military strikes by the United States and Israel. The extent of the regime’s crackdown in January 2026 appears to have been unprecedented. According to UN Special Rapporteur Mia Sato, witnesses described “protesters, including children, being shot at close range or severely beaten by security forces. Tens of thousands of protesters, as well as medical professionals and lawyers, were reportedly arbitrarily detained, held incommunicado, denied legal representation and subjected to forced confessions broadcast on State television. Some detainees, including children, now face the death penalty.” Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 16 that Iranian security forces are launching a new crackdown on any signs of domestic uprising, setting up new security checkpoints, arresting people on suspicion of collaboration with foreign entities, and warning protesters via sms messages that there is a shoot-to-kill order in place.
Afra Afsharipour, the John D. Ayer Professor of Law at UC Davis, will moderate an in-person-only discussion of current events, with two distinguished guests joining remotely:
Gissou Nia is the director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council, which works on prevention and accountability efforts for atrocity crimes, human rights violations, terrorism and corruption offenses around the world. She also serves as a board member of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center where she is helping develop and oversee the group’s human rights advocacy and legal programs, which seek to promote accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law in Iran.
Masoud Zamani is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research—published in both English and Persian—examines international criminal justice, international humanitarian law, the history of international law, Middle Eastern politics and legal systems, and the interplay between law and social psychology. He is the author of Crisis and Self-Actualization, a Persian-language book exploring identity, belief, and political agency during periods of societal upheaval. His commentary in leading policy and academic forums addresses pressing issues at the intersection of law, conflict, technology, and geopolitics.
Sponsored by CILP. Lunch provided.