The husband of jailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh says he and her lawyer have been threatened with arrest if they continue to disseminate information about her case, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.
Sotoudeh was arrested on September 4 after Intelligence Ministry officials accused her of "collusion against national security" and "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic."
She had represented a number of political prisoners detained during the unrest that followed last year's disputed presidential election.
Sotoudeh's husband, Reza Khandan, told Radio Farda on September 14 that the Intelligence Ministry has warned him and Sotoudeh's lawyer, Nasim Ghanavi.
"They told Ms. Ghanavi that a case has been filed against her and me for giving interviews about my wife's arrest," he said.
Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi told Radio Farda that Sotoudeh's arrest is "absolutely against the principles of human rights and even Iranian law."
Ebadi added that the Intelligence Ministry official who made such a threat should be asked: "If what you have done is right, then why are you frightened that people might be informed about it?"
She continued, "If, however, you know that what you have done is against the law, then why did you commit it?"
Ebadi added that Sotoudeh is being held in solitary confinement, deprived of all the rights of a prisoner including visits from her lawyer, and under pressure to make false confessions.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, Khandan has been summoned to appear at the Prosecutor's Office of Evin prison on September 18.
Sotoudeh was arrested on September 4 after Intelligence Ministry officials accused her of "collusion against national security" and "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic."
She had represented a number of political prisoners detained during the unrest that followed last year's disputed presidential election.
Sotoudeh's husband, Reza Khandan, told Radio Farda on September 14 that the Intelligence Ministry has warned him and Sotoudeh's lawyer, Nasim Ghanavi.
"They told Ms. Ghanavi that a case has been filed against her and me for giving interviews about my wife's arrest," he said.
Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi told Radio Farda that Sotoudeh's arrest is "absolutely against the principles of human rights and even Iranian law."
Ebadi added that the Intelligence Ministry official who made such a threat should be asked: "If what you have done is right, then why are you frightened that people might be informed about it?"
She continued, "If, however, you know that what you have done is against the law, then why did you commit it?"
Ebadi added that Sotoudeh is being held in solitary confinement, deprived of all the rights of a prisoner including visits from her lawyer, and under pressure to make false confessions.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, Khandan has been summoned to appear at the Prosecutor's Office of Evin prison on September 18.
