We were thrilled to learn that Nasrin Sotoudeh, winner of the 2011 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, was temporarily released from Evin Prison today and reunited with her husband, Reza Khandan, and their two children. Her leave will last three days. During the two years that Nasrin has been imprisoned, she has gone on several hunger strikes, the most recent in protest of restrictions against her family. Over the course of the 48 days that she refused food, Nasrin dropped to 95 pounds and her health reached a critical level before authorities agreed to her demands, allowing a travel restriction against her 12-year-old daughter to be lifted.
An internationally-recognized champion of human rights in Iran, Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced to 11 years in prison, reduced to six years on appeal in September 2011, for giving interviews in defense of her clients following the disputed 2009 presidential elections.
PEN welcomes this most recent decision to finally allow Nasrin Sotoudeh to return home, and calls on the Iranian authorities to extend this release indefinitely and unconditionally in accordance with her right to freedom of expression.