February 14, 2023 – The human rights activist Reza Khandan, who is the husband of the prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, has been summoned to report to prison within 30 days to begin serving a six-year sentence (five years mandatory) that was issued in 2019, according to his lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi.
Tag Archive for Nasrin Sotoudeh
Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh’s Husband Ordered to Report to Prison
For Iran’s Lawyers, Defending Dissidents Is Getting Dangerous
Tuesday, May 18, 2021 – WPR – In 1985, my parents were taken to court in Tehran by a tenant who was trying to stop them from selling a property he was renting from them at the time. My parents were surprised to learn about the lawsuit. After all, they had given the tenant several months to vacate. He had no legitimate legal argument.
Weak and Ill with COVID-19, She Must Continue Serving Her 12 Years Behind Bars
December 2, 2020—The return of Nasrin Sotoudeh to Gharchak Prison, reported today, December 2, 2020, by her husband, is condemned in the strongest terms, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said in a statement today. Read more
Nasrin Sotoudeh Transferred to Notorious Gharchak Prison
Human Rights Lawyer’s Health in Serious Danger

Doctors Say Hospitalization Required, Instead Sotoudeh Moved to Iran’s Most Dangerous Prison
October 20, 2020 — Nasrin Sotoudeh, the imprisoned human rights attorney, has been moved to the notoriously harsh Gharchak Prison (also spelled Qarchak) in the Iranian city of Varamin, south of Tehran, despite grave medical issues that require her hospitalization, her husband, Reza Khandan said today, October 20, 2020. Read more
Nasrin Sotoudeh: Grave Deterioration in Health, Exposed to COVID-19 at Hospital

Doctors: Her Return to Prison Was “A deliberate attempt to put her life in danger”
Family’s Repeated Requests for Medical Furlough and Hospitalization Denied
October 13, 2020 — New information regarding the severe deterioration in the health of imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh emerged today, as her husband, Reza Khandan, relayed her “grave cardiac and pulmonary problems” that were due to delays in medical treatment, and her exposure to COVID-19 during her recent brief hospitalization.
Sotoudeh Transferred from Hospital Back to Prison Despite Serious Heart Condition

Urgent Concerns Over Health of Human Rights Attorney Six Weeks into Her Hunger Strike
September 23, 2020—The prominent civil rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who was hospitalized for a serious heart condition and has been on hunger strike for more than 40 days, was transferred back to Evin Prison today, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned. Read more
Nasrin Sotoudeh in Hospital, Condition Deteriorating, Family Denied Access and Information
Imprisoned Human Rights Lawyer on Hunger Strike Since August 11 to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners

Husband Catches Glimpse as She is Wheeled for Tests: “She does not look well at all”
September 20, 2020—The imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been on a hunger strike since August 11 to free Iran’s political prisoners, has been hospitalized as of September 19, 2020, with her condition worsening, and the family is being denied access to her and any information on her condition, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned, after speaking with her husband, Reza Khandan on September 20, 2020.
“The authorities in Iran may try to hide Nasrin’s dangerous deterioration, but the world is watching and will hold the government responsible for her wellbeing,” said Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI executive director.
Sotoudeh’s husband told CHRI, “Her heart situation is not good at all, they are banning us from visiting her and I cannot go her see her directly.
“I managed to accidentally see her in the hallway as they brought her out for cardiac tests, she was in a wheelchair and I only got a momentary glance of her and she did not look well at all.”
Reza Khandan told CHRI that none of her doctors will speak to him and that she is under stringent guard by security agents.
CHRI is extraordinarily concerned about Nasrin Sotoudeh’s deteriorating medical situation and the egregious violations ongoing right now regarding the authorities’ refusal to allow family visitation and consultation. We urgently call on the authorities to allow the family to see her immediately, to provide the family with full information on her condition, and to allow the family to decide on and give consent for any medical treatment.
Sotoudeh was rushed to the hospital yesterday from Evin Prison, where she has been imprisoned since 2018 for her work as a human rights attorney in Iran. There has been an international outcry for the release of the human rights attorney, which has gathered urgency as Sotoudeh began her hunger strike.
Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently serving a 38-year sentence at Evin Prison for her peaceful work defending basic civil and political rights in Iran, 12 years of which she must serve before becoming eligible for parole. Among her charges were “encouraging prostitution” for advocating against compulsory hijab and defending citizens’ right to peaceful dissent.
In addition to the unjust imprisonment of scores of political prisoners in Iran, many have fallen ill to COVID-19 in Iran’s overcrowded and unhygienic prisons. Iran’s political prisoners were largely left out of the country’s March 2020 mass release of prisoners, which was aimed at stemming the mounting deaths from COVID-19 in the country.
Celebrated Artists and Authors Join Online Campaign to Free Imprisoned Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Urgent Call for International Show of Solidarity to #FreeNasrin as Lawyer Begins Fifth Week of Hunger Strike
September 9, 2020—Prominent global artists and authors have united in an impassioned call to free the renowned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is imprisoned in Iran for her defense of civil and political liberties. Read more
Imprisoned Human Rights Attorney Refuses Food to Demand Release of Prisoners Endangered by COVID-19
Husband: “Nasrin has become extremely weak”
August 31, 2020—The health of imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has become critically threatened by a hunger strike she began on August 11, 2020 to call for the release of political prisoners severely endangered by the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Iran’s overcrowded prisons. Read more
MEPs demand Iranian authorities to listen to Nasrin Sotoudeh who puts her life at risk to save political prisoners
Leading MEPs express concern for the health of Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh and call for Iranian authorities to listen to her claim for justice.
08.18.2020- European Parliament Press Releases
Heidi Hautala, Vice President in charge of Democracy, Human Rights and the Sakharov Community, and Maria Arena, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights issued the following statement on Nasrin Sotoudeh’s renewed hunger strike and increased pressure on her family: