Overview
Right Livelihood is calling on the human rights community to participate in the Campaign #StandUp4Nasrin. We invite you to join us in our request to the Iranian government to immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh, and drop all charges against her.
- Launch date: November 12, 2020 (ongoing)
- Primary hashtag: #StandUp4Nasrin
- Secondary hashtag: #FreeNasrin
- Campaign host: @rightlivelihood
- Suggested handles to tag: @HassanRouhani (English)/ @Rouhani_ir (Persian), @Iran_UN, and the Iranian Embassy in your country
Background
Nasrin Sotoudeh is a fearless Iranian human rights lawyer. For the past 15 years, she has defended political prisoners, opposition activists and journalists persecuted by the Iranian authorities. She has tirelessly advocated for women’s rights, the abolition of the death penalty and respect for the rule of law. Her unrelenting commitment to defending human rights and political freedoms has led her to being imprisoned several times and has made her a target of the Iranian authorities’ abuses.
Due to her perseverance and courage, Nasrin has become a symbol of the struggle for justice in Iran. On March 11, 2019, she was sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes on trumped-up political charges resulting from her peaceful human rights work. Nasrin’s husband and daughter have also faced persecution, prosecution and harassment.
Despite the reprisals against her and her family, Nasrin has never given up and has always maintained her commitment to the realisation of human rights. For this, she has gained international recognition, including the 2020 Right Livelihood Award, the 2012 Sakharov Prize and the 2011 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.
In September 2022, demonstrations led by women in Iran against the country’s 40+ years of mass discrimination and authoritarian rule began. The authorities brutally repressed these protests. Despite the danger, Nasrin bravely continued working for human rights during this time.
The protests in question began as a response to the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was targeted and killed by Iran's "morality police" for breaking the compulsory veiling laws in the country. Iranians from all social spectrums took to the streets to demand justice and accountability for Amini and to put an end to violence and discrimination against women. Despite the brutal state crackdown, Iranians, including Nasrin, continue to risk their lives to demand a regime change.
In October 2023, while on medical furlough, Nasrin was violently beaten at the funeral of Armita Geravand, the latest young Iranian woman to die at the hands of the morality police. She was arbitrarily arrested on charges of false accusations of collusion with the intent to disrupt security and refusing to carry out police orders. Nasrin remains in Qarchak prison, where she is held in poor conditions, has been denied visits and to see the prison doctor, despite her very precarious health situation. We call for her immediate release.
We stand by Nasrin and all Iranian men and women in their commitment to securing their fundamental freedoms and freeing future generations from the regime's grip.
Let’s #StandUp4Nasrin! Let’s stand up for Iran!
Tweet your message of support
Here are some tweets we suggest sharing. The easiest way to support this campaign is to click the "TWEET THIS" button, which will automatically direct you to Twitter with the message you choose to tweet. Feel free to adapt the text to fit your tone of voice, and post with the image below.
Imagine being imprisoned for standing up for human rights. This is the reality for #RightLivelihood Laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is unjustly incarcerated in Iran. Let's join together to demand her immediate release! #StandUp4Nasrin #FreeNasrin
Nasrin Sotoudeh stood up for civil and women's rights. Her reward? A 38-year prison sentence and 148 lashes. Join us in demanding that the charges against her be dropped and that she is released immediately! #StandUp4Nasrin #FreeNasrin
Iran's brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters is unacceptable. We demand they immediately release #RightLivelihood Laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh and all political prisoners, and respect the human rights of the Iranian people! #StandUp4Nasrin #FreeNasrin
The Iranian regime can't stop feminist solidarity. Nasrin Sotoudeh's re-arrest at the funeral of #armitagaravand is only the latest outrageous attempt to silence her. We call for her and all political prisoners' immediate release. #StandUp4Nasrin #FreeNasrin
We encourage everyone to post to help amplify our support for Nasrin.
Past actions
On November 12, 2020, 38 members of the German Bundestag sent an open letter to Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani demanding Nasrin’s release. On the same day, via video message, they called on the international community to #StandUp4Nasrin.
In October 2022, following nationwide protests sparked by the violent death of 22-year-old Jina Masha Amini, Right Livelihood and 31 Right Livelihood Laureates signed a petition supporting Iranians demanding democracy and respect for their fundamental freedoms.