Human Rights Defenders’ Letter to Khamenei: Free Nasrin Sotoudeh

A number of human rights organizations have published an open letter protesting Nasrin Sotoudeh’s return to prison. The letter is addressed to Khamenei himself, with copies sent to Rouhani and Iran’s Minister of Justice.

The signatories of this letter include heads of several international human rights organizations, including Hadi Ghaemi, director of the Iran Human Rights Center.

Human rights defenders in this letter have referred to the charges against Nasrin Sotoudeh and considered these charges to be in violation of international law and even the Islamic Republic’s constitution.

In this letter, Ayatollah Khamenei is requested to proceed with the permanent release of Nasrin Sotoudeh and to respect the independence of the legal profession.

The letter states that besides Nasrin Sotoudeh, eight other lawyers have also been imprisoned on charges of carrying out their professional duties, accused of acting against national security, or have been prevented from carrying out their professional duties.

Nasrin Sotoudeh was temporarily released from prison on November 8 after a prolonged hunger strike and her necessary transfer to the hospital.

On December 3, after her request to extend her prison leave was rejected, Nasrin Sotoudeh returned to Qarchak Prison.

The human rights organizations’ letter was written in response to Nasrin Sotoudeh’s return to prison. The letter is written in English and addressed to Khamenei, with copies sent to Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s President, and Alireza Avayi, the country’s Minister of Justice.

38 Years in Prison and 148 Lashes

The letter states that the sentence of 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes for Nasrin Sotoudeh is clearly a violation of the Islamic Republic’s constitution and international law. The open letter emphasizes that Nasrin Sotoudeh was only performing her duties as a lawyer.

The signatories of this open letter have called for the permanent release and acquittal of Nasrin Sotoudeh from unjust charges. In this letter, they have referred to the assessment of UN human rights experts. According to the UN’s assessment, the sentence imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh is disproportionate, arbitrary, and illegal.

The open letter also refers to the imprisonment of Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband. The signatories have requested that Khamenei overturn the six-year prison sentence for Reza Khandan.

The letter clarifies that the arrest of Reza Khandan, shortly after Nasrin Sotoudeh’s arrest, was solely on the charge of publishing news of her arrest, with the purpose and intent of silencing Nasrin Sotoudeh.

Baseless Charges

Propaganda for Corruption and Obscenity: Nasrin Sotoudeh was charged with promoting corruption and obscenity and sentenced to 12 years in prison solely for defending and supporting women who removed their headscarves in a peaceful campaign.

Membership in the Illegal Legam Group: “Abolish the Step-by-Step Execution” is the name of a group that peacefully works against capital punishment. The sentence imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh for membership in this group has been announced as seven and a half years.

Spreading Lies and Disturbing Public Opinion: The court’s reference was to Nasrin Sotoudeh’s interviews with foreign media outlets. The sentence imposed: three years imprisonment and 74 lashes.

Disruption of Public Order: The reason for this charge was Nasrin Sotoudeh’s participation in peaceful gatherings. The punishment is two years imprisonment.

Action Against National Security: The reason for this charge was signing a public statement for holding a referendum. The intended sentence: seven and a half years imprisonment.

Anti-Government Propaganda: For speaking in front of the UN office in Tehran and at gatherings of opponents of capital punishment. The intended sentence: one and a half years imprisonment.

Appearing Without Hijab in Public Gatherings: The sentence imposed: 74 lashes.

In the human rights defenders’ letter, it is stated that with the addition of five years imprisonment imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh in 2016 for espionage activities, the total sentence imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh consists of 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes.

In this letter, the charges against Nasrin Sotoudeh are considered a violation of her freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, and it is emphasized that the charges of threatening “national security” and other charges are baseless.

Furthermore, it is stressed that the courts and judicial institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran have deprived Nasrin Sotoudeh of her right to fair trial and her right to choose a lawyer. In this regard, reference is also made to certain provisions of the Islamic Republic’s constitution.

The signatories, referring to the equality of women and men before the law, have considered Nasrin Sotoudeh’s defense of women who removed their headscarves as a legal action.

Moreover, in the open letter to Khamenei, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s right to access a doctor and medicine is emphasized, stating that the deprivation of this right means violating the Islamic Republic’s constitution.

Human rights defenders, by signing this letter and referring to the baseless charges brought, have called for the immediate and permanent release of Nasrin Sotoudeh.

The human rights defenders’ letter to Khamenei has been signed by, among others, Michael Kirby and Anne Ramberg, Deputy Directors of the Institute for Human Rights, Irwin Cotler, Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Center, Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Director of the Americas PEN Association, and Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of the Iran Human Rights Center.

Source: DW