Continued Pressure on Families of Political Prisoners in Iran; 20-Year-Old Daughter of Imprisoned Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Detained for Hours and Released on Bail
Reports indicate that Mehraveh Khandan, daughter of Nasrin Sotoudeh, imprisoned lawyer in Iran, was released on bail after being detained and transferred to Evin Prosecutor’s Office.
Reporters Without Borders announced on Monday, August 18, on its Twitter page that Mehraveh Khandan, daughter of Nasrin Sotoudeh, had been detained, and wrote that she was summoned to Evin Prosecutor’s Office along with a number of journalists.
The organization described the detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter as “further pressure on a mother” who “went on hunger strike demanding the freedom of political prisoners.”
Hours after this news was released, human rights media reported, citing Reza Khandan, husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh and father of Mehraveh, that on Monday afternoon five security officials came in front of their house and, without any previous summons being issued, detained Mehraveh without providing any explanation and transferred her to Branch One of Evin Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Khandan and Ms. Sotoudeh’s daughter is 20 years old and according to her father, she has now been released on bail.
Reza Khandan also wrote on Twitter that the reason for this action was pressure on the Sotoudeh family and also diverting public opinion from the widespread hunger strike of prisoners.
The short-term detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter provoked many reactions on social media, with many users describing her detention as being guilty of “being Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter.”
Nasrin Sotoudeh, imprisoned lawyer and civil activist, went on hunger strike at Evin Prison last week by publishing a letter in protest of the lack of freedom for political prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak crisis and the “oppressive conditions” in Islamic Republic prisons.
Reza Khandan, human rights activist and husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh, told Voice of America that this imprisoned civil activist had not announced a specific time to end her hunger strike, but might end her strike if all announced demands or even part of them are met.
The Islamic Republic has repeatedly arrested relatives and family members of civil and human rights activists or opponents of the regime, including the detention of Ali Alinezhad, brother of Masih Alinezhad, journalist and Voice of America colleague.
Iranian Ministry of Intelligence officers on Tuesday, September 2 of last year “raided” the house of Ali Alinezhad, brother of Masih Alinezhad, and detained him. This action took place after launching a campaign against mandatory hijab, called “White Wednesdays.”
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned violent confrontations and widespread suppression of protesters, as well as repeated and continuous violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the ruling regime.
Source: Voice of America
