Nasrin Sotoudeh’s Court Session Postponed Due to Her Absence In Protest

An informed source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Nasrin Sotoudeh’s trial, on charges of “lack of Islamic hejab,” was not held today. Sotoudeh, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, was arrested in September 2010 and sentenced by a lower court to 11 years in prison, a 20 year ban on practicing law, and a 20 year ban on traveling abroad. The source told the Campaign that Sotoudeh was notified by prison officers in the morning that she must get ready to go to her trial in a few minutes. Protesting her treatment and lack of knowledge about her trial session, Sotoudeh refused to attend the session.

Given Sotoudeh’s absence the trial session was postponed to 16 February. Last month, Sotoudeh’s husband, Reza Khandan, was summoned to Evin Prison and detained for one day and told to stop disseminating information about his wife to the media.