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