Senator Menendez: The Islamic Republic must immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh
US Senator Robert Menendez said on Thursday, September 10, that Iranian human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh should never have been imprisoned in the first place.
The senior Democratic member of the Senate continued his message on Twitter, writing, "I previously called for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh on the occasion of International Women's Day."
He added that Iran must immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh and end her hunger strike before her condition worsens.
Nasrin Sotoudeh, who was sentenced to 33 years in prison by the Islamic Republic on charges such as "gathering and colluding against national security, spreading lies, and disturbing public opinion" for defending political prisoners, began her hunger strike on August 11 of this year to protest the Islamic Republic's mistreatment of prisoners and failure to respect their rights.
At the same time as Ms. Sotoudeh was re-imprisoned, US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus recently tweeted on the occasion of International Women's Day, referring to Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer imprisoned in Iran, and expressed solidarity with Iranian "brave women" and wrote: "On this International Women's Day, I express solidarity with Nasrin Sotoudeh, an imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer. As she said: The tireless efforts of women have finally proven that, regardless of whether we support or oppose them, women can no longer be ignored."
The US State Department's Office of Women's Affairs has also expressed support and deep concern for the health of Nasrin Sotoudeh and called on the Iranian regime to release this imprisoned human rights lawyer and all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained.
Source: Voice of America
