Blindfolds and Handcuffs for Sotoudeh During Visitation

Reza Khandan, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, told the International Campaign for Human Rights In Iran that Sotoudeh was not brought to the visiting hour last Thursday for unclear reasons. Sotoudeh went on a dry hunger strike for the third time last week to protest her condition.

Khandan expressed concern about his wife’s condition and the lack of information about her situation. “When I went to Evin prison to visit her on Thursday, although they let me in, I was not able to see Mrs. Sotoudeh. After a while, when all the prisoners were brought in, I noticed that there was no sign of her. An officer came and said that she herself had refused to come for visitation for ‘security reasons’,” he told the Campaign.

“Honestly, they did not clearly explain what they meant [by ‘security reasons.’]. Apparently, they wanted to bring Mrs. Sotoudeh in blindfolded and handcuffed, and she refused to come for the visit like that. There were no problems during the last two times we visited with her in prison, and I saw her without blindfolds and handcuffs. So, this statement and not seeing her on visitation day has heightened my concern,” Khandan added.

“I really do not know why she didn’t come for the visit on Thursday; and this concerns me more. Last I heard from her goes back to our telephone call on Monday of last week, when after finding out about the extension of her detention, she said she would protest this situation by stepping into a dry hunger strike, as she stated in court,” Khandan told the Campaign, stating that he has no way of ascertaining his wife’s condition.

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a lawyer and human rights activist who has been in solitary confinement at Evin prison since September. She has been on dry and wet hunger strikes for more than 50 days during her confinement.