By Human Rights Press Staff
Introduction:
Reza Khandan, a long-time advocate for women’s rights in Iran and husband of prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, was arrested in December 2024 for peacefully expressing opposition to the country’s mandatory hijab laws. His arrest follows his distribution of thousands of handmade buttons that read, “I Oppose the Mandatory Hijab.”
Khandan has been an outspoken critic of Iran’s laws enforcing compulsory veiling for women. In 2018, he was imprisoned for 111 days for similar advocacy before being released on bail. His peaceful acts of resistance, including public campaigns and written statements, have repeatedly drawn the ire of Iranian authorities.
“Reza’s peaceful resistance through art and words should be celebrated, not criminalized,” said a spokesperson for Amnesty International. “His imprisonment underscores the Iranian authorities’ deep fear of even the most symbolic acts of defiance.”
Iran’s actions violate international human rights laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which it is a signatory. These laws protect freedom of expression, peaceful protest, and protection from arbitrary detention.
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