On the anniversary of activist Reza Khandan’s arrest, the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, PEN America, and the NYC Bar Association jointly call for his immediate release. Khandan, the husband of internationally renowned human rights activist, lawyer, and 2011 PEN America Freedom to Write Awardee Nasrin Sotoudeh, has long campaigned for women’s rights in Iran and currently is a leading voice speaking out from within Evin Prison against the death penalty and in support of prisoners’ rights.
“Reza Khandan’s imprisonment is an affront to the most fundamental principles of human dignity and justice,” said Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center. “His only ‘crime’ is standing up peacefully and bravely for the rights of women, for the rule of law, and for the future of his country. Today, we call on the Iranian authorities to recognize his humanity, heed their international obligations, and release him immediately.”
On December 14, 2024, Iranian authorities raided Reza Khandan’s home, and he was arrested. He began serving a previous unjust sentence of three years and six months in prison. While jailed, he has been denied visits with his wife and daughter due to their refusal to wear the hijab. The couple’s 17-year-old son, Nima, was brutally beaten by prison guards while trying to visit his father in January.
To mark the anniversary of his arrest, on December 17 the NYC Bar Association, PEN America, and the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center are sponsoring a screening of the award-winning documentary NASRIN (narrated by Academy Award winner Olivia Colman), accompanied by a panel discussion on current challenges to human rights and the rule of law in Iran and in the United States. Panelists include the film’s director, writer, and producer Jeff Kaufman, and producer Marcia Ross.
“Iran has a remarkable history, a rich culture, and a diverse, youthful population.” Kaufman said, “It can only benefit from the contributions of good, caring, and informed citizens like Reza Khandan. Reza should be honored, not punished.”
Nasrin Sotoudeh has faced relentless harassment from the Iranian authorities for decades. In March 2019, she was sentenced to a total of 38 years and 148 lashes on various charges. After a gruelling hunger strike in 2020, a severe case of Covid, and a life-threatening heart condition, she was conditionally released from prison and is currently on an extended medical furlough. She was most recently beaten and briefly arrested by Iranian authorities in October 2023 while she was attending the funeral of Armita Geravand, a 17-year-old girl who was murdered by the country’s morality police for appearing in public without wearing a hijab.
Khandan has faced harassment in turn for his work and his support of Sotoudeh.
