Nasrin Sotoudeh: Iranian author held after metro death funeral

Iranian lawyer, writer, and human rights activist, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was reportedly arrested and assaulted during the funeral of 17-year-old Armita Geravand. This event has reignited global concerns over the repression of women’s rights in Iran. Sotoudeh, known for her extensive advocacy work and is the author of “Women, Life, Freedom,” was attending the funeral without donning a hijab, an act that has allegedly led to her detention.

Who is Nasrin Sotoudeh?

Labelled "Iran's Nelson Mandela" by many, Sotoudeh has been an unwavering opponent of the death penalty and a champion for enhancing health conditions within prisons. Furthermore, her efforts span across defending the rights of women, children, religious and ethnic minorities, as well as journalists, artists, and those on death row. However, her activism hasn't been without consequences. The Iranian government has imprisoned Sotoudeh multiple times on charges of crimes against the state. Her most notable sentence came in 2018 when she was sentenced to 38 years and six months in prison along with 148 lashes.

In recognition of her endeavours, the McCourtney Institute for Democracy recently awarded Sotoudeh the 2023 Brown Democracy Medal. Moreover, her story was the spotlight of the 2020 documentary, "Nasrin," directed by Jeff Kaufman and Marcia S. Ross.

PEN America, a global human rights organisation, awarded Sotoudeh with the 2011 Freedom to Write Award. Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, voiced her concerns over the recent arrest, stating, “Nasrin is among the most eminent and intrepid champions of human rights in Iran. For over a decade, she’s faced harassment, imprisonment, and hunger strikes head-on. Her recent imprisonment, following an act of solidarity for a teenager who tragically lost her life for merely defying the hijab rule, is a stark reflection of the Iranian government’s callous disregard for the rights of its women and girls. We call for her immediate and unconditional release.”

The death of Armita Geravand: a spark that ignited global outrage

Armita Geravand, the teenager at the heart of this incident, is the latest in a line of young Iranian women who have faced tragic ends due to Iran’s hijab police’s relentless oppression. An altercation with them in Tehran’s metro system earlier this October, which was caught on camera, led to her sustaining a fatal head injury.

Watch interview: Why freedom is important – with Until We Are Free author and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Shirin Ebadi

Sotoudeh is believed to be detained at the Vozara Detention Center, infamous for holding women charged with violating the mandatory hijab rule. It is ominously the same facility where Mahsa Amini was before her death in custody in September 2022.

In light of these events, there’s a burgeoning call for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh and all those brave souls imprisoned for challenging the Iranian government’s authoritarian policies. This includes luminaries like Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write honouree and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.