Dozens of Civil Activists Request Nasrin Sotoudeh to End Hunger Strike

Dozens of Iranian civil and political activists have written an open letter to Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and imprisoned human rights activist in Evin prison, urging her to end her hunger strike. Ms. Sotoudeh was arrested on June 13 of this year and it was announced that she began a 'wet hunger strike' on September 24 'in protest against the illegal detention and harassment of her family and friends.' According to her relatives, she has 'suffered from general weakness several times and once fell down the stairs of her cell' for this reason. Previously, a number of women's rights activists had issued a statement 'paying tribute to the efforts and resilience of Nasrin Sotoudeh, considering the importance of preserving the health of fighters for freedom and justice,' asking her to end her hunger strike. 340 human rights activists wrote in their letter that since 'preserving the health of fighters for freedom and justice is important in the current critical period,' they respectfully urge Nasrin Sotoudeh to break her hunger strike. The authors of this letter, who introduced themselves as 'a group of civil activists, citizens, friends, and companions' of Nasrin Sotoudeh, wrote to her that by ending her hunger strike, she should 'turn the worry and anxiety [caused by her physical condition] into enthusiasm and hope for the continuation of resistance and struggle.' The civil and political activists who signed this letter described the accusations against this lawyer by security officials and the judiciary of the Islamic Republic as 'noble goals of civil and non-violent struggle in Iranian society.' They wrote that 'membership in the campaign for the gradual abolition of the death penalty and protesting against compulsory hijab' in Iran is 'not a crime,' and Ms. Sotoudeh's efforts to 'realize the rights of women, the rights of children, and abolish the death penalty, especially abolishing the execution of children under eighteen' are 'honors of the human rights family of Iran.' Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently serving a five-year sentence in absentia due to accusations such as 'espionage,' and two security-related cases have also been opened against her. In addition to Nasrin Sotoudeh, security agents have also arrested her husband, Reza Khandan, on charges such as 'collusion and conspiracy against national security,' 'propaganda against the regime,' and 'promoting and spreading bad hijab.' Reports from human rights and political activists indicate increased pressure on their children as well. A bail of 700 million tomans has been issued for Mr. Khandan, who remains imprisoned in Evin due to his refusal to pay it. The authors of this letter also held the Islamic Republic's 'judicial-security apparatus' responsible for the life and health of Nasrin Sotoudeh and other political and ideological prisoners currently on hunger strike in Iran. They described their responsibility as follows: 'Our responsibility, while pressuring the judiciary to meet the legitimate demands of prisoners, is to strive to maintain the health of each of them.' A number of civil and political activists in Iran and abroad have also issued a statement in support of Nasrin Sotoudeh, calling the accusations against her 'baseless' and 'ridiculous,' and demanding her freedom and that of other political and ideological prisoners of the Islamic Republic. The arrests of Nasrin Sotoudeh and Reza Khandan have faced domestic and international reactions, including Amnesty International calling for the immediate and unconditional release of this couple and urging international bodies and the European Union to strongly condemn this action by the Islamic Republic.