United States Responds to Heavy Prison Sentence for Nasrin Sotoudeh, Prominent Iranian Lawyer
Hours after a heavy 38-year prison sentence was issued for Nasrin Sotoudeh, a legal practitioner and prominent human rights activist in Iran, a U.S. State Department official criticized the ruling.
Robert Palladino, Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, wrote on Twitter: While the rest of the world commemorates women’s rights, the Iranian regime sentences Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent defender of human rights and women’s rights, to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes. Is this the “new chapter of justice” that Khamenei proudly preaches?
Reza Khanadan, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband who himself has been sentenced to six years in prison, wrote on his Facebook page on Monday that his wife has been sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes. According to him, Ms. Sotoudeh received a five-year sentence for one case and 33 years for a second case with nine charges.
Hours after the news of this heavy sentence was released, two human rights organizations reacted, protesting the ruling and calling for Ms. Sotoudeh’s immediate release.
Amnesty International stated in its Monday statement: This is the heaviest sentence the Islamic Republic has issued against a human rights defender in recent years, demonstrating that Iranian authorities have become bolder and intensified repression.
Hadi Ghaemi, Director of Human Rights Campaign for Iran, also responded to the sentencing, saying: “Sotoudeh was condemned in a trial that lacked any international fair trial standards.”
He added: “Iran’s judiciary condemned Sotoudeh for her efforts to implement the law and provide fair legal representation in cases involving civil and political activists. They first went after journalists and civil activists and political dissidents, and now they are issuing such heavy sentences to lawyers.”
The recent ruling against this imprisoned lawyer and human rights activist was issued under circumstances where Ms. Sotoudeh’s husband had previously stated that she did not choose any lawyer in protest of using a judiciary-approved lawyer and did not participate in the trial.
According to Reza Khanadan, Ms. Sotoudeh’s sentences were issued in an in absentia court session for seven of her charges.
Nasrin Sotoudeh has been in detention since June 13, and her arrest has prompted protests from the U.S. State Department and international human rights organizations.
Source: Voice of America
