Iran accuses rights lawyer of state security offences

Society 16:38 23.06.2018
Award-winning Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh faces prosecution on state security charges following her arrest in the capital last week, her husband said on Saturday.
 
Sotoudeh, 55, denies the charges but remains in the women's wing of Tehran's notorious Evin prison after refusing to post bail of $95,000 (more than 80,000 euros), Reza Khandan told the ISNA news agency.
 
"My wife is accused of conspiracy, assembly and propaganda against the system" of rule of the Islamic republic, Khandan said.
 
"My wife considers the accusations against her to be baseless and made up, and the bail demand to be disproportionate," he added.
 
Sotoudeh, who is one of the few outspoken advocates for human rights in Iran, was detained in her Tehran home on June 13.
 
Her arrest has been condemned by the US State Department and human rights group Amnesty International, which both called for her immediate release.
 
Earlier this year, Sotoudeh represented several women arrested for protesting against the mandatory wearing of headscarves in Iran.
 
Tehran police said in February that 29 women had been detained for posing in public without their headscarves.
 
Sotoudeh won the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov rights award in 2012 for her work on high-profile human rights and political cases, including those on death row for offences committed as minors.
 
She spent three years in prison between 2010 and 2013 for "actions against national security" and spreading "propaganda against the system" and remains banned from representing political cases or leaving Iran until 2022.
 
Sotoudeh has defended journalists and activists including Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and several dissidents arrested during mass protests in 2009 against the disputed re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
 
She had recently spoken out against a new criminal code that allowed only a small number of lawyers -- just 20 in Tehran -- to represent individuals charged with state security offences.
 
During her previous spell in Evin, Sotoudeh staged two hunger strikes in protest at the conditions and over a ban on seeing her son and daughter.
 
She was released in September 2013 shortly before Iran's then newly elected President Hassan Rouhani, who had campaigned on a pledge to improve civil rights, attended the UN General Assembly.
Diaspora activists voiced their solidarity with Azerbaijan - VİDEO

News line

Erdogan: ‘All our efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability in region’
Erdogan: ‘All our efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability in region’
20:20 26.04.2024
Hamas’s win may lead to 9/11-like attacks, Israeli minister warns
19:45 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev expresses his gratitude for Germany's support regarding COP29 in Azerbaijan
18:53 26.04.2024
Scholz: Chances for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia as high as never before
18:39 26.04.2024
Lawyer: Armenia's ethnic cleansing is not an act, but a strategy
18:19 26.04.2024
New Haiti government sworn in during secret ceremony
New Haiti government sworn in during secret ceremony
18:00 26.04.2024
China has launched a space mission for "cutting edge technology" experiments
17:44 26.04.2024
The EU intends to sanction Azerbaijan just for this reason - Oleg Kuznetsov talks on Ednews
17:30 26.04.2024
Diaspora activists voiced their solidarity with Azerbaijan - VİDEO
Diaspora activists voiced their solidarity with Azerbaijan - VİDEO
17:20 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev holds meeting with Foreign Minister of Germany in Berlin
17:11 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan will continue to be an important partner for Europe for many years to come
17:01 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: COP29 will not be an arena of confrontation
16:49 26.04.2024
Norway provides Ukraine with military assistance worth 850M euros
Norway provides Ukraine with military assistance worth 850M euros
16:33 26.04.2024
US Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Discusses Expectations for COP29 and Cooperation with Azerbaijan - INTERVIEW
16:22 26.04.2024
Working Group Evaluates Demining Efforts in Aghdam - PHOTOS
16:00 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: We highly value ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia
15:29 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev and Chancellor Scholz making press statements - VİDEO
15:12 26.04.2024
Ambassador: Honest Baku-Yerevan negotiations may lead to positive results
14:58 26.04.2024
Armenia forced millions of people to leave their homes - Lawyer Talmon
14:51 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev’s expanded meeting with Olaf Scholz commences in Berlin
14:17 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev holds one-on-one meeting with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz
14:00 26.04.2024
Azerbaijani President: ‘Our green agenda started to materialize prior to being awarded COP29’
13:42 26.04.2024
Germany's Scholz says new approach to combating climate change needed
13:29 26.04.2024
"Are NATO Forces Planning an Attack on Russia?" - Insightful Commentary from British Politician
13:14 26.04.2024
Tensions Rise as Chad Considers Expelling US Forces: US influence in Africa tumbles
Tensions Rise as Chad Considers Expelling US Forces: US influence in Africa tumbles
13:00 26.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: As the host country of COP29, Azerbaijan is in active phase of preparation
12:45 26.04.2024
Ilham Aliyev participates in High Level Segment of 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin - VİDEO
12:32 26.04.2024
Details of the expected peace agreement are explained by a political scientist
12:20 26.04.2024
The anniversary of the so-called "Armenian genocide" was held in Iran - PHOTOS
12:09 26.04.2024
Blinken expected in Israel on Tuesday to discuss Rafah operation, hostage deal - Media
Blinken expected in Israel on Tuesday to discuss Rafah operation, hostage deal - Media
11:54 26.04.2024
COP29 delegation meets Spanish minister for ecological transition
11:53 26.04.2024
Russian-Turkish Monitoring Centre in Azerbaijan's Aghdam ceased its activity - VİDEO
11:40 26.04.2024
ISW: If Russia captures Chasov Yar, this will open the way for it to the “defense belt”
11:22 26.04.2024
Chinese FM warns about possible risk of further expansion of Ukraine war
10:50 26.04.2024
Zelensky: 'NATO countries are afraid of Russia'
10:38 26.04.2024
Azerbaijani police discovered explosive devices in Khojavand
10:23 26.04.2024
Greece refuses to provide Ukraine with Patriot systems
10:12 26.04.2024
Price of Azerbaijan oil drops
Price of Azerbaijan oil drops
10:00 26.04.2024
Azerbaijani minister mulls preparations for COP29 with Annalena Baerbock
09:50 26.04.2024
US expands its sanctions list on Iran
US expands its sanctions list on Iran
09:38 26.04.2024
Hamısı