A former activist who was previously tried by Judge Salavati in connection with the state crackdown on peaceful protestors that followed the disputed 2009 presidential election told the ICHRI, “During my trial the prosecutor said a lot of things that were untrue but when it was my lawyer’s turn to speak, Judge Salavati cut him off after only a few minutes….That’s when I realized that trying to present a defense through my lawyer was meaningless and I was convinced the judge knew what his verdict was going to be before the trial began.”
Un exactivista que va ser processat pel jutge Salavati en connexió amb la repressió de l'estat durant una manifestació pacífica que va tenir lloc després de les eleccions presidencials del 2009 va dir a l'ICHRI: «Durant el meu judici, la fiscalia va dir moltes coses que no eren certes però quan el meu advocat va haver de parlar, el jutge Salavati el va tallar després de pocs minuts... En aquest moment em vaig adonar que intentar presentar una defensa a través del meu advocat no tenia sentit i que el jutge sabia quin seria el seu veredicte abans que comencés el judici.»