U.S. State Department Calls for Immediate Release of Nasrin Sotoudeh

The United States expressed concern over the re-arrest of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights activist and attorney, and called for her immediate release by Iranian authorities. Heather Nauert, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated on Thursday, June 14, "We are deeply concerned about reports of the re-arrest of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights defender. Ms. Sotoudeh has reportedly been arrested at her home and taken to Evin Prison, a notorious facility that the U.S. Treasury Department mentioned last month in relation to human rights violations." Describing Sotoudeh's actions as "brave," she added, "We urge Iranian authorities to release her along with hundreds of others who are imprisoned simply for expressing their views and their desire for a better life." Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has recently represented women protesting mandatory hijab laws by removing their headscarves in public, was arrested on Wednesday. Reza Khandan, Sotoudeh's husband, who reported her arrest, said that it occurred without any prior notice and that security agents came to their home and took the human rights activist away. This incident immediately drew reactions from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which condemned the arrest. Amnesty International stated that Sotoudeh's arrest is "the latest example of Iranian authorities' destructive efforts to prevent her important work as a lawyer." Human Rights Watch also referred to Sotoudeh as "a human rights hero" who "should be celebrated for her tireless defense of citizens' rights, not imprisoned." On Thursday, some civil activists staged a sit-in protest in front of Evin Prison against Sotoudeh's arrest. Prominent figures such as Mohammad Nourizad, Mohammad Maleki, Jafar Panahi, Davood Farahani, and Farideh Moradkhani were seen in social media posts in front of Evin Prison. Sotoudeh has spent over three years in prison to date. She was arrested in September 2010 and sentenced in a primary court to 11 years in prison, 20 years of disbarment, and 20 years of travel ban for charges including "acting against national security," "propaganda against the regime," and membership in the Human Rights Defenders Center. However, this sentence was reduced in an appeals court to six years in prison and 10 years of disbarment. Reza Khandan told Radio Farda that the agents had an arrest warrant that "apparently is based on a five-year sentence previously issued by the Revolutionary Court for her."