Nasrin Soutudeh

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: October/29/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems Women’s Rights

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Nasrin Soutudeh

Extra Bio Info:

Nasrin Soutudeh was detained for her religious freedom advocacy.

In October 2023, Iranian authorities arrested Soutudeh, an Iranian human rights activist and lawyer, as she attended the funeral of Armita Geravand, a 17-year-old girl who died in a coma after being beaten by security officers at the Tehran metro for improperly wearing a hijab. Authorities confined her in Qarchak Prison in Varamin. During detention, authorities severely beat her and denied her adequate medical care for her severe asthma and cardiac condition. Soutudeh went on a hunger strike to protest her detainment. In November 2023, Soutudeh was released on bail.

In April 2026, authorities re-arrested Soutudeh and confiscated her personal belongings. In May 2026, Soutudeh was released.

Authorities repeatedly targeted Soutudeh, arresting her five times since 2008 for supporting and defending activists who protest Iran's religiously grounded mandatory headscarf laws.

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