Human rights defenders' letter to Khamenei: Release Nasrin Sotoudeh

A number of human rights organizations have published an open letter protesting the return of Nasrin Sotoudeh to prison. The letter was addressed to Khamenei personally and was copied to Rouhani and the Iranian Minister of Justice.

The signatories of this letter are officials from a number of global human rights organizations, including Hadi Ghaemi, director of the Iranian Center for Human Rights.

In this letter, human rights defenders referred to the accusations against Nasrin Sotoudeh and considered these accusations to be contrary to international law and even the Constitution of the Islamic Republic.

The letter asks Ayatollah Khamenei to take action to permanently release Nasrin Sotoudeh and respect the independence of the legal profession.

The introduction to this letter states that, with the exception of Nasrin Sotoudeh, eight other lawyers have been imprisoned or banned from performing their professional duties for the crime of acting against national security.

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

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

The letter from human rights organizations was written in response to Nasrin Sotoudeh's return to prison. The letter was written in English and addressed to Khamenei, with copies sent to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Justice Minister Alireza Avaee, among others.

38 years in prison and 148 lashes

The letter states that the sentencing of Nasrin Sotoudeh to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes is a clear violation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and international law. The open letter emphasizes that Nasrin Sotoudeh was only fulfilling her duties as a lawyer.

The signatories of this open letter call for the permanent release of Nasrin Sotoudeh and her acquittal from unjust charges. They refer to the assessment of UN human rights experts, who have found the sentence imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh to be disproportionate, arbitrary and unlawful.

The open letter also mentions the imprisonment of Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh's husband. The signatories have called on Khamenei to cancel Reza Khandan's six-year prison sentence.

The letter states that Reza Khandan's arrest, shortly after Nasrin Sotoudeh's arrest, was carried out solely on the charge of publishing news of her arrest, with the intention and goal of silencing Nasrin Sotoudeh.

Unfounded accusations

Promoting corruption and prostitution: Nasrin Sotoudeh has been accused of encouraging corruption and prostitution and sentenced to 12 years in prison, simply for defending and supporting women who had taken off their headscarves in a peaceful campaign.

Membership in the illegal group Legam: "Abolition of the Death Penalty Step by Step" is the name of a group that peacefully works against the death penalty. 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 referred to Nasrin Sotoudeh's interviews with foreign media. The punishment imposed was three years in prison and 74 lashes. 

Disturbance of public order: The reason for this charge was Nasrin Sotoudeh's participation in peaceful gatherings. The penalty is two years in prison.

Act against national security: The reason for this charge was signing a public statement calling for a referendum. Expected punishment: seven and a half years in prison.

Anti-government propaganda: For speaking in front of the UN office in Tehran and at a rally opposing the death penalty. Expected sentence: one and a half years in prison.

Appearing in public without a hijab: Penalty determined: 74 lashes.

The human rights defenders' letter states that, including the five years of imprisonment foreseen for Nasrin Sotoudeh in 2016 on charges of espionage activities, the total punishment imposed on Nasrin Sotoudeh includes 38 years in prison and 148 lashes.

The letter, by presenting five charges against Nasrin Sotoudeh, considers them to be violations of her freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, and emphasizes that the charge of threatening "national security" and other charges are baseless.

It has also been emphasized that the court and judicial institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran have denied Nasrin Sotoudeh her right to a fair trial and her right to appoint a lawyer. In this regard, some clauses of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic have also been referred to.

Referring to the equality of women and men before the law, the signatories considered Nasrin Sotoudeh's defense of women who attempted to remove their headscarves to be a legal action.

In addition, the open letter to Khamenei emphasizes Nasrin Sotoudeh's right to access a doctor and medicine, and states that denying this right would violate the Constitution of the Islamic Republic.

By signing this letter, human rights defenders have called for the immediate and permanent release of Nasrin Sotoudeh, citing the baseless accusations.

The letter to Khamenei by human rights defenders was signed by Michael Kirby and Anne Ramberg, vice presidents of the Institute for Human Rights, Erwin Cutler, president of the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, Karin Dutch Karleker, director of the PEN American Association, and Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran.

Source: DW