Nasrin Sotoudeh's lawyer says his client's demands are completely "legitimate and legal" and the government must fulfill them.

Nasrin Sotoudeh's lawyer, announcing that her client had gone on a hunger strike because of the failure to observe the principles of fair trial in the trial process and the failure to respect the rights of political prisoners while serving their sentences, considered these demands "legitimate and legal" and said that the authorities must be held accountable for them.

Mohammad Moghimi, Ms. Sotoudeh's lawyer, spoke to Voice of America on Wednesday, August 12, about the hunger strike of this imprisoned lawyer and civil activist, saying: "Ms. Sotoudeh had previously protested to the authorities about the situation of political prisoners, the health situation in Iranian prisons, which is worsening day by day, and the lack of release of political prisoners despite the spread of the coronavirus, and had written a letter demanding that the situation of these prisoners be addressed; but these requests were not met with success and she ultimately went on a hunger strike."

Referring to the pressure on political prisoners and their families, the lawyer told VOA that this pressure from the authorities and officials of the Islamic Republic is increasing day by day, to the extent that they recently froze Ms. Sotoudeh's bank accounts without legal reason and against the law. According to Mr. Moghimi, "This is a clear example of the violation of Nasrin Sotoudeh's civil rights."

Nasrin Sotoudeh's defense attorney expressed concern about the lawyer's health and the dangerous consequences of the hunger strike, telling Voice of America: "Given Ms. Sotoudeh's physical condition, I am certainly concerned about her health, and I hope that the authorities will give in to her legal and reasonable demands as soon as possible and fulfill these demands, which are not personal but for the entire Iranian society; demands that are legitimate and legal, and it is the officials of the Islamic Republic who must be held accountable for them."

Referring to concerns about the consequences of a hunger strike for Nasrin Sotoudeh, he added: "A person who goes on strike will definitely suffer severe mental and physical harm. But on the other hand, we must grant the person who goes on a hunger strike the right to decide for themselves what to do."

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and imprisoned civil activist, announced on Tuesday, August 11, in a letter, a copy of which was sent to Voice of America by Reza Khandan, Ms. Sotoudeh's husband, that she had gone on a hunger strike to protest the failure to release political prisoners amid the coronavirus crisis and the "cruel conditions" in the Islamic Republic's prisons.

This is not the first time Ms. Sotoudeh has gone on a hunger strike. On Monday, March 16, she was among the political prisoners who went on a hunger strike by issuing a statement in response to the prevention of the release of political prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak.

Referring to Ms. Sotoudeh's hunger strike in March, Mr. Moghimi told VOA that after Ms. Sotoudeh's hunger strike, at some point, due to public pressure, the judiciary canceled the execution process due to the coronavirus outbreak, and the Prisons Organization released or sent a group of political and non-political prisoners on leave. However, according to Mr. Moghimi, it seems that as the political and economic situation in Iran worsens, the prevailing climate is becoming more secure and the repression of opponents is increasing.

Ms. Sotoudeh, who has been in detention since June 13, has been sentenced by Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court to a total of 38 years in prison and 148 lashes on charges such as gathering and colluding against national security, propaganda activities against the regime, effective membership in the Human Rights Defenders Association, Legam (abolition of executions) and the National Peace Council, appearing without a religious veil at the interrogation branch, disturbing public order and peace, and spreading lies with the intention of disturbing public opinion - very vague, unsubstantiated, and so-called "false" charges that have a long history in the Islamic Republic's judicial system and have been attributed to many anti-government activists in various cases. She has been sentenced to a total of 38 years in prison and 148 lashes, of which 12 years of this sentence will be served according to the Islamic Penal Code.