Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh awarded the Thulani Maseko Justice Prize

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the international human rights community will gather in The Hague to celebrate the work of Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is the recipient of the Thulani Maseko Justice Prize 2026.

The award, established by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and the Thulani Maseko Foundation, recognises lawyers who have made outstanding contributions to protecting fundamental rights and advancing the rule of law in authoritarian regimes.

Nasrin Sotoudeh was born in Tehran in 1963. She has spent her career defending individuals facing human rights violations - particularly women. She has been arrested multiple times and spent several years in prison. In 2019, she was sentenced to 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes.

After being released on medical furlough in 2023, she has been re-arrested several times, and her current status is uncertain, though it is believed she remains in Tehran under strict bail conditions. Organisers of the Thulani Maseko Justice Award remain hopeful she will be able to appear at the ceremony in some capacity.

Roberto González, Chief Advocacy Officer for the Human Rights Foundation (HRF): "Working as a defender of human rights in Iran is extremely challenging for anyone, but particularly for women. And Nasrin has suffered all the consequences of that. 148 lashes is effectively a death sentence because very few people can take that and survive. And yet she is undaunted in the face of oppression and continues to fight for the rights of the persecuted. She is an incredible attorney and an incredible human being."

This is the fourth edition of the Prize, which was created by the Human Rights Foundation in partnership with the Thulani Maseko Foundation. It recognizes courageous human rights lawyers who risk their lives and freedom to defend democracy in countries ruled by authoritarian regimes.

The Prize honours the memory of Thulani Maseko, who was assassinated in his home country of Eswatini in 2023.

Full article with podcast: https://thehague.com/newsroom/en/news/iranian-human-rights-lawyer-nasrin-sotoudeh-awarded-the-thulani-maseko-justice-prize 

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