Nasrin Sotoudeh Discusses Her One-Month Hunger Strike

Nasrin Sotoudeh, an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, has written at the end of her month-long hunger strike in front of the Bar Association protesting against her suspension from practicing law. She hopes that the Bar Association's managers will use this opportunity to strengthen the independence of the association, so that we do not witness the imprisonment of lawyers like 'Abdolfattah Soltani', 'Mohammad Seifzadeh', 'Amir Eslami', 'Farshid Yadollahi', 'Mostafa Daneshju', 'Kasra Noori', etc., who insisted on their oath of honor, and that the professional immunity of lawyers is not taken away from them. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a joint winner of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought awarded by the European Parliament in 2012, was released last year after serving half of her six-year sentence. Before her arrest in 2010, she played a role in sensitive political and human rights cases. In an interview, she stated, 'I have been on hunger strike for over a month in front of the Bar Association building in protest against the ruling issued against me by the disciplinary court of lawyers and also against all the pressures being exerted on the legal community. I announced my reasons and demands in the first statement I issued at the beginning of my hunger strike.' When asked if she thinks her protest will be effective, she affirmed that it would be effective if the Bar Association took action to revoke the ruling. She emphasized that civil rights should be established regardless of the outcomes of civil actions, as our civil law recognizes the right to assemble and protest unconditionally. Regarding her treatment during the protest, she mentioned that her supporters faced threats initially, and police presence was heavy, but pressure decreased over time. She was arrested without a warrant during the second week of her hunger strike and was illegally detained for seven hours. Despite this, she returned to the Bar Association the next morning after her release. She expressed appreciation for the support she received from citizens, including notable figures and passersby who showed solidarity. She noted that even though her hunger strike was about a specific issue related to her license, it garnered attention due to the public's concern for the independence of lawyers.