Global Legal Community Calls for the Release of Nasrin Sotoudeh – April 2026

10 Apr 2026 | Defending the Defence, Fair Trial Standards, Human Rights Committee

On 10 April 2026, the ECBA and a coalition of 30 international legal organisations issued a formal call for intervention concerning the judicial harassment of lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and her family in Iran.

Arrested during the night of 1-2 April, her current whereabouts remain undisclosed. We also call for the immediate release of her husband, human rights defender Reza Khandan, who has been detained since December 2024.

The statement highlights a broader pattern of pressure directed at independent lawyers who refuse to be silenced. We demand:

  • Immediate disclosure of Nasrin Sotoudeh’s whereabouts.
  • Her unconditional release and the dropping of all charges related to her lawful work.
  • An end to reprisals against her family.

Read the full joint statement initiated by the ECBA here.