On 13 December 2024, human rights defender Reza Khandan was arrested at his home in Tehran and taken into custody at a police station. The following day he was transferred to Evin Court and then to Evin Prison, where he has been detained since.

Reza Khandan is a prominent Iranian human rights defender and the husband of women’s rights lawyer and activist Nasrin Sotoudeh. He is known for his outspoken opposition to compulsory veiling rules and to the death penalty in Iran. His activism has made him a repeated target of the authorities.

In 2019, Khandan was sentenced to six years in prison on trumped-up charges of “gathering and collusion with the intention of acting against national security” and “propaganda activities against the state.”

The charges were linked to his peaceful advocacy, including the production and distribution of “No to Obligatory Hijab” badges, a campaign against compulsory veiling laws. Although initially sentenced to five years for “gathering and collusion” and one year for “propaganda activities,” his sentence was later reduced by the Court of Appeals to three years and six months. Alongside imprisonment, he was banned from leaving Iran and from engaging in online activities for two years.

At the time of his December 2024 arrest, authorities informed Khandan that this reduced prison sentence from 2019 was to be enforced. His detention came shortly after his friend and fellow activist Farhad Meysami—who had faced the same charges over the hijab badges campaign—was released in February 2023 under a general amnesty announced by the judiciary.

Khandan is now serving the remainder of the sentence that had long been considered arbitrary and politically motivated.

Following his transfer to Evin Prison, Khandan has faced additional restrictions. His wife, Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is herself a renowned human rights lawyer and former political prisoner, was barred from visiting him because she refused to comply with compulsory hijab regulations. This has left Khandan largely isolated from family contact, deepening concerns about his treatment in detention.

Khandan’s legal team has stated their intention to apply for a retrial, citing the arbitrariness of both the original trial and the renewed enforcement of the sentence. His prosecution highlights the broader pattern of judicial harassment against Iranian human rights defenders, particularly those who peacefully advocate for women’s rights and other freedoms.

His current imprisonment comes at a particularly sensitive moment. In late 2024, the Iranian authorities announced the operationalization of a new law imposing harsher penalties on women and girls who defy compulsory hijab rules. The renewed targeting of Khandan appears closely linked to this broader crackdown. By imprisoning him now, authorities are sending a warning to others who might support or promote resistance to the hijab laws.

International observers have condemned the enforcement of Khandan’s sentence. They stress that his conviction is rooted solely in his peaceful human rights work, particularly his advocacy for women’s rights. His punishment not only violates his own rights to freedom of expression and association but also seeks to silence broader movements for equality and justice in Iran.