Nasrin Sotoudeh began her career with the Iranian government before joining the legal team of a state-owned bank. In 1995, she took the bar exam but was prevented from practicing law until 2003 because of opposition from the Ministry of Intelligence. In the meantime, she worked as a journalist and reported on women’s rights. When she was finally allowed to become an attorney she developed a legal practice defending women and children who were victims of domestic violence. She also provided legal representation to numerous journalist and activists, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi.
In June 2009, incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared victory in the disputed presidential election. Nationwide protests soon broke out and continued into 2010 in what was soon called the Iranian Green Movement. In August 2010, Nasrin was representing Zahra Bahrami, a Dutch-Iranian citizen who was arrested at a protest in December and sentenced to death.
On September 4, 2010, Iranian authorities arrested Nasrin on charges of propaganda against the state, acting against national security, violating hijab in a filmed speech, and membership in a banned organized. For these charges she was sentenced to six years in prison.
Freedom Now brought international attention to Sotoudeh’s case by publishing op-eds in The Times, the Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post as well as preparing a report for the UN Human Rights Council prior to Iran’s universal periodic review.
On September 18, 2013, Nasrin was released early from prison. However, she was arrested again several times including in 2018 and 2023. During this time a documentary was covertly shot about her life and she was able to publish a book.
Nasrin remains in Tehran where she continues to practice law and actively criticize the regime. Her husband Reza Khandan was arrested in December 2024 and remains detained for producing pins opposing the mandatory wearing of the hijab by women. Both Nasrin and Reza gave an interview in February 2026 about recent protests.
On April 2, 2026, Nasrin was again arrested on unknown charges and held in an undisclosed location. Freedom Now condemned her arrest and once again began advocating for her release.