Award for Iranian Human Rights Champion
Berlin's Mayor, Kai Wegner, honored renowned Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotudeh with an award recently. The CDU politician handed out the 'Heroine Award' of the Alice Schwarzer Foundation, allegedly awarded for the first time.
Addressing the crowd, Wegner acknowledged, "Nasrin Sotudeh has become a symbol of the struggle for human rights. She's paying a heavy price for this, and we can only hope she survives."
Sotudeh, 60, is a dedicated women's rights activist and fierce critic of the death penalty in Iran. Her advocacy has earned her global recognition, including the Alternative Nobel Prize in 2020. However, her efforts have not been without cost. She has been imprisoned several times and spent countless years behind bars. Her latest arrest was at the end of October. The authorities accuse her of 'anti-state propaganda.' She denies the allegations.
A friend accepted the award on her behalf in Berlin, with Sotudeh expressing her gratitude in a recorded video message from October 20. The laudatory speech was delivered by German-Iranian actress Jasmin Tabatabai, who emphasized, "International attention often serves as the only lifeline for political prisoners in Iran." Alice Schwarzer, the publicist, described Sotudeh as an "unusually courageous fighter."
Currently, Sotoudeh remains in Qarchak Prison in Varamin, Iran. She has faced health issues, including COVID-19, and engaged in hunger strikes to protest her detention. Despite numerous international awards and recognitions, her release remains a crucial demand of the global community.
Insights
As of the latest information, Sotoudeh is still in Qarchak Prison in Varamin, Iran, where she has been held since her second arrest in June 2018. She was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison and 148 lashes, but her total sentence includes 38 years for various charges bundled together, along with the lashes[1].
Sotoudeh has faced health issues, including COVID-19, which led to her temporary release in November 2020. She was released on a medical furlough in July 2021, which was extended indefinitely[1].
Sotoudeh has engaged in hunger strikes to protest her detention and the harassment of her family and friends. Her most recent hunger strike was in August 2020, which she ended due to deteriorating health[1].
Despite her imprisonment, Sotoudeh has received numerous international awards and recognitions for her human rights work. These include the Sakharov Prize in 2012, the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in 2019, and the Right Livelihood Award in 2020[1][2].
The international community continues to advocate for her release. In August 2021, a group of Democratic senators introduced a resolution condemning Iran for the unjust imprisonment of Nasrin Sotoudeh[1].
Organizations like Amnesty International and the Center for Human Rights in Iran have consistently condemned her sentencing and called for her release. These organizations highlight the political nature of her charges and the impact on her human rights work[1][3].
Sotoudeh's husband, Reza Khandan, has been a vocal advocate for her release and has faced similar persecution. The couple's case has drawn attention to broader issues of human rights in Iran, including the compulsory veiling laws and the death penalty[3].
