U.S. demands Iran release hunger-striking human rights lawyer

(Reuters) - The United States on Friday demanded that Iran free jailed human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, who it said has been on hunger strike for more than six weeks, and sharply criticized Iranian authorities for their treatment of the 49-year-old prize-winning lawyer.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said reports of Sotoudeh's rapidly declining health were deeply troubling, and that she had been denied medical care and kept in solitary confinement.
"We demand the Iranian government cease its intolerable mistreatment of Sotoudeh and immediately release her and the more than 30 other female political prisoners detained in Evin Prison," Nuland said in a statement.
Sotoudeh, who last month was awarded the European Union's Sakharov prize for human rights and freedom of thought, was arrested in September 2010 on suspicion of spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security. She is serving a six-year jail sentence in solitary confinement.
She has defended journalists and rights activists, including Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and Dutch national Zahra Bahrami, who was hanged in January 2011 on drug trafficking charges.
"We remain concerned for Sotoudeh's well-being given Iran's history of withholding treatment from prisoners and allowing them to die from hunger strikes," Nuland said.
Sotoudeh began a hunger strike on October 17, according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. She is protesting against a travel ban placed on her daughter and authorities' limits on visits with her family, the group said.
(Reporting by Alister Bull)

source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/01/us-usa-iran-sotoudeh-idUSBRE8B002P20121201

Jailed Iranian lawyer in critical health

Jailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month, is now in critical condition, her husband Reza Khandan reports.

The International Campaign for Human Rights published an interview with Reza Khandan on Wednesday November 28 in which he conveyed the latest news of Nasrin Sotoudeh's condtion in Tehran's Evin Prison.

Sotoudeh has been on a hunger strike since October 17 in protest against the violation of her rights as a prisoner, including the right to make phone calls to her family and to have in-person visits with her children. She is also protesting against the travel ban imposed on her husband and daughter.

So far, the Iranian judiciary has been indifferent to Sotoudeh's demands and, on October 30, had her transferred to solitary confinement.

Reza Khandan reported that his last visit with his wife was on November 27, the fortieth day of her hunger strike. He added that she was down to 43 kg last week, and this week she had lost even more weight. "Since yesterday when we saw her, I realized that she has reached a critical stage."

Khandan added that Sotoudeh is now ready to break her strike if the ban on her daughter's travel abroad is lifted.

Sotoudeh's daughter is a minor and, according to her father, has committed no crime and is being persecuted without any justification.

The head of the Iranian judiciary's human rights commission, Mohammad Javad Larijani, told a press conference yesterday that Sotoudeh recently met with her family and is in good health.

He claimed that Sotoudeh has acted against the regime and "abused" the legal profession.

Sotoudeh was arrested in September of 2010. She is serving a six-year prison term and has been banned from legal practice for her membership in the Defenders of Human Rights Centre of Iran, a prohibited Iranian NGO extending pro bono legal services in human rights cases.

source: http://www.payvand.com/news/12/nov/1248.html

Updates on the “International Campaign in Support of Nasrin Sotoudeh”

After spending nineteen days in solitary confinement Nasrin Sotoudeh, 2012 Sakharov Prize winner, was finally transferred to the general population of Evin prison, on November 19th, 2012. On hunger strike for over 35 days now, concerns over Sotoudeh’s health and overall wellbeing still exist. 

Prominent Iranian scientist, the director of solar system exploration at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) , Dr. Firouz Naderi met with Soheil Parhizi (representative of the “International Campaign in support of Nasrin Sotoudeh”) on November 19th, 2012, in Los Angeles, California.

In the meeting, Dr. Naderi signed the campaign poster while voicing his concern for Nasrin Sotoudeh and calling for her immediate release. Dr. Naderi said, “I have tremendous respect for Nasrin and her family; the values that she stands by are very important to me…”
Prior to this meeting, the poster for the “International Campaign for the Release of Nasrin Sotoudeh” has been signed by various influential figures, one of them the former president of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey. 

The “International Campaign for the Release of Nasrin Sotoudeh” began its work in 2010. The primary goal of the campaign has been the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh through news dissemination, gathering signatures, and international attention to Nasrin Sotoudeh’s plight as an imprisoned lawyer and human rights activist. The campaign has met with a number of prominent Iranian and non-Iranian figures throughout Europe and the United States in the past two years. 

On Wednesday 5 September 2012 in Palazzo Vecchio, the President of the Florence, Italy City Council Eugenio Giani and the President of the Commission for Peace and Human Rights, Susanna Agostini and vice-president Alberto Locchi met with Mr.Soheil Parhizi, Director of IT and the campaign’s official website supporting lawyer Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh’s release campaign.

On September 5th, 2012 the president of Florence’s City Council, Eugenio Giani and the president of the Commission for Peace and Human Rights, Susanna Agostini met with Soheil Parhizi formally announcing their support for Nasrin Sotoudeh in Florence’s town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio.
In 2011 the city of Florence awarded Nasrin Sotoudeh with the “Golden Giglio” (Golden Tulip) award. Given the fact that Nasrin Sotoudeh is currently in prison the mayor of Florence and other city officials have worked to present the award to Mrs. Sotoudeh’s husband, relatives, or colleagues but have so far been unsuccessful.
A communiqué for the award states, “We call for the immediate release of imprisoned lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. The city of Florence gives its full support to her, and her consistent efforts to bring democracy and freedom of expression in Iran.”

Source: Bamdadkhabar

 

Read more: http://www.persianicons.org/culture/updates-on-the-international-campaign-in-support-of-nasrin-sotoudeh/#ixzz2Dmm4hDA0

Iranian Nasrin Sotoudeh's Health Deteriorating

Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Stop Fundamentalism – Concerns over deteriorating health of Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh intensify as she enters her 42nd day of hunger strike in Iran's notorious Evin prison.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, is due to receive the European Union Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought next month. She is serving a six year prison sentence on political charges in Iran and there is no prospect for her to be able to attend the award ceremony in Europe to receive her prize.

Sotoudeh started her hunger strike back in October to protest harsh conditions in the Evin prison for women and their mal-treatment by prison guards.
Sotoudeh is married and has two children. Her husband, Mr. Reza Khandan, posted a message on his Facebook page expressing concern over her health.
"Nasrin entered her 41^st day of hunger strike yesterday.  Her health condition is entering a critical phase.  She has been transferred to prison's medical clinic."
Sotoudeh's husband and daughter, now 12 years old, have been banned from leaving the country.
 

Source: http://www.stopfundamentalism.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1459:iranian-nasrin-sotoudehs-health-deteriorating&catid=44:human-rights&Itemid=39

Iranian Women Prisoners on Hunger Strike to Protest Guard Abuse

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a press statement on October 26 congratulating Sotoudeh for receiving the Sakharov award and expressing concern over her health condition while in Iranian prison

Stop Fundamentalism - At least nine Iranian women prisoners, jailed on political charges, have gone on hunger strike as of yesterday to protest abusive behavior by prison guards against women at the notorious Evin prison.   The strike is concurrent with that of another female political prisoner, the internationally known Nasrin Sotoudeh, winner of the 2012 European Union Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, who has been on a hunger strike for two weeks to protest harsh prison conditions at Evin.

The women started the strike after guards began an unannounced inspection which included body searches, beatings and verbal abuse.

The striking prisoners include woman journalists and political activists some arrested in the aftermath of the 2009 uprising in Iran.  They are demanding guarantees that guards will never engage in similar behavior again.

Nasrin Sotoudeh received the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought last week from the European Parliament along with Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi.  Both are invited to the European Parliament’s plenary session in December to receive their award.  Sotoudeh is currently serving a 6-year prison sentence and Panahi is also facing 6 for political charges.  They both are banned from leaving the country.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a press statement last week congratulating Sotoudeh and Panahi for the achievement and expressing concern over Sotoudeh’s health condition following the announcement of her hunger strike..

“The work of Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi to uphold human rights and promote freedom of expression represents the desires of all Iranians to exercise their basic rights and freedoms,” said Secretary Clinton in her press statement on October 26.  “Unfortunately, they will not be able to enjoy today's recognition. Despite her deteriorating health, Iranian authorities have imprisoned Sotoudeh and sentenced her to six more years in prison,” added Clinton.

A European Parliament delegation was refused entry visa last week to Iran for asking to meet the two opposition activists to inform them about the prize award and congratulate them on the wining.  

Later, Iran’s Judiciary head, Sadiq Larijani, considered the request to visit Sotoudeh and Panahi by the European delegation to be a clear interference in the internal affairs of the Iranian justice system. “The Judiciary will not allow such interfering by any group or country,” said Larigani to reporters Wednesday.

“How can the European Parliament dare to declare conditions for visiting our country?” Larijani complained adding, “They want to give a reward to people that the Iranian Judiciary has convicted.”
http://www.stopfundamentalism.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1445%3Airanian-women-prisoners-on-hunger-strike-to-protest-guard