Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent Iranian human rights lawyer, was arrested by intelligence agents at her home in Tehran, her daughter confirmed.
Sotoudeh, 64, is known for defending activists, opposition figures, and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves. She has faced imprisonment several times and was recently released on bail due to health issues.
Her husband, Reza Khandan, also an activist, is currently serving a prison sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Confirmation from family
Mehraveh Khandan, speaking from Amsterdam, said she learned of her mother’s arrest through an intermediary. She added that strict communications restrictions since January make it almost impossible to contact the outside world.
The detention occurs amid Iran’s wider crackdown on political dissent, despite the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. Authorities have arrested hundreds of people since 28 February, often for speaking with foreign media. They have also increased executions of protesters facing the death penalty. Rights groups say these measures aim to discourage further demonstrations.
Recent statements and concerns
Shortly before her arrest, Sotoudeh criticised government policies in an interview with a Persian-language media outlet abroad. She said these policies “have exposed us to death” and condemned the violent suppression of January’s nationwide protests the largest seen in decades.
Mehraveh Khandan expressed worry for her mother’s health, noting her heart condition and the risks from regional tensions.
Sotoudeh’s arrest follows concerns over the health of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi. Mohammadi, 53, may have suffered a heart attack in prison. She was arrested in December in Mashhad and sentenced to seven additional years. Her lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani, said Mohammadi appeared “extremely weak and pale” and required help from fellow inmates after a heart attack on 24 March.
In a brief call to her family, Sotoudeh said the Intelligence Ministry had detained her, the same agency that arrested her previously. She asked her family to contact the prosecutors. Authorities also confiscated all communication devices in her home, including those belonging to her father.
Sotoudeh received the European Union’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2012. She previously represented Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and other activists targeted during government crackdowns.
Mehraveh Khandan emphasised the difficulty of raising awareness of dissent amid ongoing conflict. “It is hard for our voice to be heard at this time,” she said. “The regime had some limits before. They don’t anymore.”
