QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Human Rights in Iran
December 14, 2020
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights defender who continues to be persecuted by the Iranian government for her work. She was sentenced in absentia for “espionage in hiding” for a total sentence of 38 years in prison and 148 lashes.
Nasrin Sotoudeh has dedicated her life, peacefully and professionally, to defending human rights. To quote a UN expert statement:
The evidence suggests Ms. Sotoudeh’s imprisonment, both now and in the past, is State retaliation for her tireless work defending human rights.
She has been forced to return to prison after being released on temporary furlough last month after an extended hunger strike, due to the horrible circumstances of her imprisonment. Her forced return was contrary to medical experts saying she needed time to recover from COVID-19 before forcing her, in her weakened state, back in the superspreader environment of the prison.
Leader, will the Government of Canada commit to pushing for Iran to quash Ms. Sotoudeh’s unjust conviction and sentence, and will the Government of Canada push for her to be released to receive the health care she so desperately needs?
Honourable senator, thank you for raising the horrible and unacceptable situation that she is facing. The government is committed to holding Iran to account for its human rights violations. That’s why earlier this month the government called on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations. The government is committed to working to assist people like Nasrin Sotoudeh, and we will continue, the government will continue, to defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions.
Senator Gold, will the Government of Canada also push to quash the pending six-year prison sentence and ban on travel and online activities against her husband, Reza Khandan, who was arrested shortly after posting updates about his wife’s arrest, clearly indicating that his conviction and sentence were imposed to silence Ms. Sotoudeh?
Thank you for raising that with me and bringing this to the attention of the chamber. I will have to make inquiries as to the specifics of the case, but please rest assured I will do my very best.
Honourable senators, we seem to have technical difficulties.
