Iran: Growing fears for Sotoudeh’s health

There is growing concern – and mounting international pressure – over the deteriorating health of imprisoned Iranian lawyer and human rights advocate Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been on hunger strike since 17 October. Sotoudeh, who has represented opposition activists, juveniles facing the death penalty, women and prisoners of conscience, was arrested in September 2010 on charges of spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security, and sentenced to 11 years in prison, a 20-year ban on her practising law and 20-year ban on foreign travel. An appeals court reduced her sentence to six years in prison and a ten-year ban on practising law.