Dastgiri was launched in 2013 as a legal advice hotline for civil and human rights activists and their families.
The upheavals following the 2009 presidential elections, gave way to a new generation of activists with no knowledge of this field. As a response, Dastgiri was created as a way to not only provide legal aid to these nascent activists, but to also offer them training on both online and offline activism, as well as a space for communication, networking and strategic planning. By launching this project, Justice for Iran hoped to lessen the frequency and intensity of human rights violations activists may encounter.
Through Dastgiri, Justice for Iran has continuously provided legal counsel, connected activists with lawyers on pro-bono basis, held training workshops, published reports, articles and guides on activism and security, and compiled a comprehensive tool kit for activists and their families. The project has also provided media coverage and assistance to activists while in custody or en route to the West.
Since its inception, Dastgiri has transformed from a hotline to a mobile app where activists are able to access information and legal assistance. It has also expanded its services to support and encourage ethnic minority activists by offering its services in several minority languages.
To read more about the project and its impacts, please click here.
