The family of Nasrin Sotúde, a leading human rights lawyer, says she has been detained by authorities in Iran. According to her daughter Mehraveh Khandan, Sotoudeh was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her home in Tehran on Thursday night.
Who is Nasrin Sotoudeh?
Who is Nasrin Sotoudeh?
Sotoudeh, 64, is known for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing headscarves. She has been imprisoned several times and is currently released on bail for health reasons.
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Her husband Reza Khandan, also a well-known activist, is currently imprisoned in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison.
For years, Sotoudeh has campaigned on some of the most sensitive issues in the Islamic Republic, notably trying to prevent the execution of juveniles convicted of crimes committed as minors.
As a lawyer, she represented critics of the Iranian regime, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, journalists and protesters detained after the 2009 “Green Revolution”.
Sentenced to 38 years in prison in 2019
Arrested in 2019
Sotoudeh’s activism exacted a great personal price as she was arrested several times. In 2019, she was sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for her advocacy.
The charges against her included membership in human rights organizations and women’s rights activism, for which she was accused of “propaganda against the state” and “promoting prostitution”. She was also accused of “appearing in justice without an Islamic hijab”.
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winner of the Sakharov Prize
Sotoudeh’s efforts have been widely recognized internationally and she won the European Parliament’s prestigious Sakharov Prize in 2012 and the Right Livelihood Award in 2020.
A vocal critic of the Iranian regime
Days before her arrest, Sotoudeh gave an interview published Monday to Persian media abroad in which she commented on the war, saying that the Islamic Republic’s policies had “exposed us to death.” She also spoke out against the government’s suppression of protests in January.
What the family said
Her daughter Khandan confirmed Sotoudeh’s detention, telling the AP she was worried about her mother, who has a heart condition, because of possible US-Israeli attacks on detention facilities and because “our regime has become even more brutal since the start of this war.”
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Khandan said she feared reports of the crackdown on dissent would be drowned out as the war raged.
“At this time, it is difficult for us to make our voice heard,” Khandan said. “The regime used to have (some) limits. They don’t have them anymore.”
International criticism
France calls for Sotoudeh’s release
Responding to news of Sotoudeh’s arrest, France on Friday called on Iran to free her.
“France calls for the immediate release of Nasrin Sotude and all those arbitrarily detained in Iran,” said a spokesman for the French foreign ministry.
“This arrest is another illustration of the Iranian regime’s systematic policy of persecuting and intimidating human rights defenders, which must end,” the spokesman added.
Key things
- Sotoudeh’s arrest underscores the Iranian government’s intensified crackdown on human rights defenders.
- International responses, such as France’s call for her release, underscore the need for global solidarity against oppression.
- Sotoudeh’s history of activism illustrates the personal risks faced by those who challenge authoritarian regimes.
