TEHRAN / OSLO — Renowned human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh is among 34 individuals who remain in custody following a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces on October 29 at the funeral of 16-year-old Armita Garavand, who died after an encounter with morality police on the Tehran metro.
More than 150 citizens were violently arrested at Behesht Zahra Cemetery and at a private residence in Tehran. While the majority were released within hours, 34 human rights defenders and activists remain detained across Qarchak Prison and the Greater Tehran Penitentiary (Fashafuyeh), facing physical assault and unlawful judicial processing.
Incident & Key Developments
1. Violent Arrests and Assault
Witness accounts confirm that security forces attacked mourners, including justice-seeking family members and prominent human rights figures:
- Assault on Activists: Security personnel attacked Manzar Zarabi—a mother seeking justice for relatives killed aboard Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752. When attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh intervened to protect Zarabi from physical assault, officers threw Sotoudeh to the ground and beat her.
- Protest Against Forced Hijab: On October 30, both Sotoudeh and Zarabi were taken to Evin court for arraignment but were refused entry after declining to wear mandatory headscarves.
- Van Arraignment: Authorities held both women in a vehicle for hours. The case investigator issued Sotoudeh’s formal charge sheet directly inside the van, an action Sotoudeh condemned as an explicit violation of legal procedure.
- Medical Emergency: Manzar Zarabi collapsed while being transferred to Qarchak Prison due to severe physical distress and was released later that afternoon.
2. Formal Charges & Refusal of Bail
Despite state media reports from the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency claiming Sotoudeh was detained for « removing mandatory hijab, » official court documents state different grounds:
- Formal Charges: Sotoudeh is officially charged with « assembly and collusion against national security » and « disobeying orders of an officer. »
- Bail Rejection: Judicial authorities set bail at 500 million tomans for the female detainees transferred to Qarchak Prison, but Evin prison officials have repeatedly refused to process the payments or release them.
At Armita Garavand’s funeral, security forces attacked Manzar Zarabi, a mother seeking justice for the Ukrainian place shot down by the IRGC. Nasrin went to prevent her being beaten when she herself was thrown to the ground and they began beating her too.”
On 30 October, IRGC-affliated Fars news agency claimed that Nasrin had been arrested for “taking hijab off and acting against society’s mental security.” This is while an informed source told IHRNGO that in the charge sheet, the charges are “assembly and collusion against national security” and “disobeying orders of an officer.”
Speaking about the arraignment hearing at Evin court, the informed source said: “On the morning of 30 October, some of the detainees from Armita’s funeral were taken to Evin court. Nasrin Sotoudeh and Manzar Zarabi were denied entry for refusing to wear the hijab. They were held in a van for hours and ultimately, the case investigator issued the charge sheet unlawfully and gave it to Nasrin inside the vehicle.” The lawyer complained about the unlawfulness of their action.
On the same day, 17 of the female detainees were transferred to Qarchak Prison and 17 of the men transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary (Fashafuyeh).
According to the source, despite a bail of 500 million tomans being set for the women, Evin authorities are still refusing to accept bail.
Manzar Zarabi who was held in the van for hours with Nasrin Sotoudeh, passed out when they were transferring her to Qarchak. Per the source, they were forced to free her that afternoon as she was in terrible physical condition.