Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: October/29/2023

Date of Release: November/15/2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

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 on a religious basis.

On October 29, 2023, Iranian authorities arrrested Soutudeh, an Iranian human rights activist and lawyer, during the funeral of Armita Geravand, a 17-year-old girl who fell into a coma and died after being beaten on the Tehran metro, reportedly by security officers, for wearing improper hijab. Soutudeh is currently being held in Qarchak Prison in Varamin. She was reportedly severely beaten during her arrest and began a hunger and medicine strike on the day of her arrest. 

On November 13, 2023, Soutudeh was reportedly forcibly transferred to Evin Prison. Soutudeh reportedly ended her hunger strike but did not receive adequate medical care for severe asthma tied to cardiac issues while in Qarchak Prison.

On November 15, 2023, Soutudeh was released from prison after posting bail. 

Iran has repeatedly targeted Soutudeh for defending women activists who protested Iran’s mandatory headscarf laws. Soutudeh was released from Evin prison on temporary medical furlough in November 2020 after contracting COVID-19. She was again granted temporary medical furlough in January 2021 for heart problems, and had an additional two-week medical furlough coinciding with the Persian New Year in March 2021. On April 5, 2021, she returned to prison until a five-day medical furlough in July 2021.

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