Iran: Amnesty condemns sentencing of human rights lawyer and journalist

Please note that journalist Shiva Nazar Ahari has been sentenced to four years in detention and 74 lashes but she is currently not detained as she is out on bail. Apologies for any confusion caused by the earlier Amnesty statement, which may have given the impression that both Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights are currently detained. Nasrin Sotoudeh is in detention and has been sentenced to 11 years in jail.

 

Amnesty International today (11 January) condemned the prison sentences handed down to human right lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and journalist Shiva Nazar Ahari.

 

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

 

“Amnesty International condemns the prison sentences for Nasrin Sotoudeh and Shiva Nazar Ahari in the strongest terms.

 

“Both of these brave Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights have been jailed solely for their legitimate work promoting the human rights of Iranian people. They are prisoners of conscience and should be freed immediately.

 

“Nasrin Sotoudeh has spoken openly about the failings of Iran’s justice system. Now she is a victim of those failings. Five years of her eleven-year sentence are for membership of the banned Centre for Human Rights Defenders, even though she is not a member of the organisation.

 

“Her husband, who has also been summoned for questioning, is seriously concerned for Nasrin’s health – he saw her last week and while her spirits were strong, she apparently looked very week physically.

 

“These cases show the extent to which the Iranian authorities will turn on their own citizens in order to stifle perceived dissent.”