Norway concerned about Iranian human rights defender’s state of health

“Norway will follow closely the trial of lawyer and human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh, which is due to begin in Teheran today,” said State Secretary Espen Barth Eide.  

Ms Sotoudeh is a prominent advocate of human rights in Iran, having defended a number of political dissidents, juveniles and women’s rights activists. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi is her best known client.  

Ms Sotoudeh has been detained since 4 September. There is cause to be concerned about her state of health, not least because she has been on hunger strike twice since her arrest. 

“The detention of human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh is a violation of fundamental principles of the rule of law, and it indicates that the human rights situation in Iran has deteriorated,” Mr Eide said.