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“The crime for which Reza Khandan is in prison is the crime of love,” writes Ariel Dorfman, author and friend of Khandan and his wife, activist Nasrin Sotoudeh. “Not just love of his country and its culture. Not just love of humanity and our rights to be human. Not just love for the future. But also, the real reason why he is being punished: Reza loves the extraordinary Nasrin with whom he shares a life, a land, and a cause. How those who persecute Reza must fear his loyalty and steadfastness. He will prevail.”

“I will continue until I achieve legal rights, restore my family's dignity, and change the conditions of the prison administration,” Khandan wrote. “May the shadow of terror and tyranny be removed from our beloved country one day. And finally, I would like to add: ‘I object to the compulsory hijab!’” 

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"I spent over seven years in prison. Not as a criminal, but as an attorney who loves the law and believes in human rights. During that time, my husband Reza took care of our children, who were still very young. He brought them to school and to play dates and to doctors’ appointments, he cooked and he worked hard to pay our bills. Now, the children are grown up, I am free on medical leave and Reza is the one in prison. It is a strange and painful situation.

"Reza has always been a firm believer in full rights for women, and for people of all faiths and backgrounds. When he proposed to me, I told him that I refuse to wear the hijab. He said that’s a personal matter. It’s my business. His answer meant so much to me. Throughout our life together, he has always been faithful to those words."

Take action: Sign this petition calling for the immediate release from prison of Reza Khandan, organized by Reza's wife and fellow activist Sotoudeh, among others.

The post ‘Now Reza Is the One in Prison’: Nasrin Sotoudeh on the Pain of Watching Her Husband Suffer on Behalf of Women’s Rights in Iran appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

Take action: Sign this petition calling for the immediate release from prison of Reza Khandan, organized by Reza's wife and fellow activist Sotoudeh, among others.

The post Take Action: Nasrin Sotoudeh Shares Petition to Free Husband, Iranian Women’s Rights Activist Reza Khandan, From Prison appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

On Dec. 20, Reza called from Evin Prison to leave this message with a surprisingly strong voice: "I continue to stay true to my pledge of defending women and human rights. I continue to oppose the heavy and unjust sentences given to my wife and the difficult circumstances brought on my children, whose grace and patience through the ordeals have given us strength and peace of mind. I wish you a happy Yalda [Winter Solstice] and hope for better days."

The post Nasrin Sotoudeh Speaks Out: Husband Reza Khandan Sits in Evin Prison for Supporting Women’s Freedom in Iran appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

Nasrin Sotoudeh and her husband Reza Khandan are no strangers to brutal and violent government suppression. The two Iranian activists and attorneys have faced harassment, violence and imprisonment from a government that will do virtually anything to crush women’s rights and freedom of expression. 

The post Reflecting on Mahsa Amini’s Short but Meaningful Life—and the Future of Iranian Women’s Rights—With Nasrin Sotoudeh appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

"The world has gone through darker days. ... We've made our way forward through those horrific and dark events and times, and so, why not again? As long as I'm alive, I'm just naturally an optimist."

The post The Ms. Q&A with Nasrin Sotoudeh: The Iranian Activist on Global Solidarity, Her Time in Prison and Being an Optimist   appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

But the activist and attorney is not giving up hope. "Democratic resistance and belief in civil society always pays off in the long run. Governments can be dictatorial and autocratic, and they can have all kinds of armies and weapons at their disposal. Despite this, we see them fail over and over again, and something better emerges because of humanity’s collective will. I draw strength from all these experiences. I hope you can, too."

The post Human Rights Advocate Nasrin Sotoudeh on Activism in the U.S. and Iran: ‘Democratic Resistance and Belief in Civil Society Always Pays Off’ appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

Here’s some of what else you’ll find within the pages of the upcoming Winter 2024 issue of Ms. magazine: how online abuse is used to intimidate, discredit and silence people; women activists in Afghanistan and Iran are calling on the international community to stop gender apartheid; and the top 10 most disappointing TV series cancellations of 2023.

The post Winter 2024 Sneak Peek: Inside a Violent Clinic Invasion appeared first on Ms. Magazine.