The Council of Europe awards the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize to Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Today, Monday (September 28, 2026), the Council of Europe announced the awarding of the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize to Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, in recognition of her efforts in defending human rights and opposing the death penalty and imposing the mandatory hijab in Iran.

The Council explained that granting the award comes in recognition of her continued work “despite the repeated arrests, long prison sentences, and great personal risks” to which she was exposed during her career.

A message of hope from Tehran

Sotoudeh, 63 years old, expressed her gratitude for this honor via a video message from the Iranian capital, Tehran.

“In moments like these, we remember our past struggles, our shared ideals, and the people who support us around the world,” she said, adding: “One day the sun of freedom will shine over our country, too.”

Her daughter, Mehravah Chandan Hires, received the award on her behalf during a ceremony held in the French city of Strasbourg.

A human rights struggle and years of imprisonment and persecution

Sotoudeh is one of the most prominent human rights defenders in Iran. According to the Council of Europe, she defended political activists, journalists, and members of minorities, in addition to children who were at risk of execution.

She was also known for her campaigns against compulsory hijab laws and the death penalty, which made her one of the most influential and controversial human rights figures in the country.

Sotoudeh was arrested and imprisoned several times over the past years, and spent long periods behind bars because of her human rights activism.

The Iranian authorities arrested her again last April, before releasing her on bail in May, while the nature of the charges against her has not yet become clear.

Previous international awards

This is not the first honor of its kind for the Iranian lawyer, as in 2012 she received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought awarded by the European Parliament.

In 2020, she also received what is known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” in recognition of her role in defending fundamental freedoms and rights.

An award bearing the name of a symbol of the democratic struggle

The award bears the name of former Czech president and opposition figure Vaclav Havel, who died in 2011. It has been awarded annually since 2013 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The value of the award is 60,000 euros, and aims to honor civil society figures and organizations that make outstanding contributions in the field of defending human rights inside and outside Europe.