Iran

With War Escalating, Iranian Political Prisoners Demand Their Release—Before it’s too Late

As Israel’s military campaign escalates and air raid sirens sound over Tehran, prisoners like by Reza Khandan, husband of renowned human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh, are sounding an alarm of their own. Citing existing Iranian legal codes, they make an urgent, clear-eyed case for the immediate release of non-violent inmates—many of whom are political prisoners or behind bars for peaceful dissent. With bombs falling nearby, and prison facilities ill-equipped to safeguard detainees, their letter warns that inaction could turn incarceration into a death sentence.

‘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

Since Dec. 13, 2024, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband Reza Khandan—a fellow activist—was arrested for his efforts on behalf of women’s rights in Iran. Now, Khandan sits in the notorious Evin Prison, where his visits are limited and conditions deplorable. Sotoudeh wrote the letter below to him on April 22, 2025, from Tehran:

“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.

Sundance 2025: ‘Cutting Through Rocks’ Is a Groundbreaking Film on Rural Iran and a Woman Who Dared to Lead

Cutting Through Rocks, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, follows Sara Shahverdi, the first female council member of a remote village in northern Iran, as she battles for women’s rights and community progress. Despite resistance from men who dismiss her as an exception, Shahverdi strives to change the lives of local girls, advocate for property rights, and improve village infrastructure.

This intimate documentary captures her triumphs and setbacks, offering a powerful portrayal of breaking barriers in a deeply traditional society.

Take Action: Nasrin Sotoudeh Shares Petition to Free Husband, Iranian Women’s Rights Activist Reza Khandan, From Prison

Nasrin Sotoudeh’s courageous husband Reza Khandan was arrested on Dec. 13, 2024, for his efforts on behalf of women’s rights in Iran. Sotoudeh herself has served over seven years in prison, with extra punishments because she refused to wear the hijab mandated by Iranian law.

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.

Journalist Cecilia Sala Released From Iran’s Evin Prison After Being Detained for 21 Days

Last week, Iran confirmed the arrest and detention of journalist Cecilia Sala—a rare official statement coming from Iranian authorities. Sala is in Evin Prison, a facility synonymous with the systemic repression of dissent.

At Women Press Freedom, we have called for international condemnation and for European and international leaders to take immediate action toward Sala’s release.

Thought-Provoking, Policy-Changing and Narrative-Shifting: Ms. Magazine’s 10 Most Impactful Print Articles of 2024

Ms. spurred thought-provoking, policy-changing, narrative-shifting change in 2024—and created new feminist strategies and solutions for the year ahead. In a word: “impact.” Ms. commissioned high profile analysis and investigative journalism by some of feminism’s best journalists and thinkers, focusing on key issues impacting women and girls at a critical moment across the globe. Here are the Ms. editors’ top 10 impact articles in the past year, as seen in the print magazine.

(Join the Ms. community today and you’ll get the issues delivered straight to your mailbox.)

Reflecting on Mahsa Amini’s Short but Meaningful Life—and the Future of Iranian Women’s Rights—With Nasrin Sotoudeh

Monday, Sept. 16, marks two years since the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini made international headlines and sparked an uprising in Iran. Her death triggered the longest citizen-led rebellion in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

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. 

Ms. Global: Paris Olympics Near Gender Parity, Afghan Women Banned from Third Doha Conference, and More

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The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to health care. But Ms. has always understood: Feminist movements around the world hold answers to some of the U.S.’s most intractable problems. Ms. Global is taking note of feminists worldwide.

This week: a special report from the Paris Olympics, as well as news from Afghanistan, Iran and more.