Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Awarded the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been awarded the 14th Václav Havel Human Rights Prize for her courageous advocacy against compulsory hijab laws and the death penalty in Iran. Her daughter, Mehraveh Khandan Heris, accepted the honor on her behalf during the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. This recognition underscores international support for political prisoners and civil society advocates defending human dignity under oppressive conditions.

RMN News Human Rights Desk
New Delhi | September 29, 2026

Outstanding Defense of Human Rights in Iran

The 14th Václav Havel Human Rights Prize has been officially awarded to Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Presented at a special ceremony on the opening day of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the award recognizes exceptional civil society action in defense of fundamental freedoms.

As one of Iran’s most prominent legal defenders, Nasrin Sotoudeh has consistently represented activists, journalists, religious and ethnic minorities, and children facing execution. Throughout her career, she has openly campaigned against compulsory hijab laws and the death penalty, enduring repeated arrests, lengthy imprisonment, and severe personal danger. Most recently, she was arrested in April 2026 and released on bail in May 2026 amid widespread international concerns regarding the safety of independent legal professionals in Iran.

Address from Tehran and Award Presentation

Although unable to attend the Strasbourg ceremony in person, Sotoudeh delivered a video statement from Tehran expressing that news of the prize filled her with profound joy. Reflecting on the international solidarity behind the honor, she stated:

“In moments like this, we remember past struggles, we recall our shared ideals and we think of the individuals across the globe who stand with us. Then we arrive at the common ground of our aspirations, and say to ourselves: one day, they will come true. One day, the sun of freedom will shine upon our country as well. Perhaps one day, truth will find its way to our country too.”

Her daughter, Mehraveh Khandan Heris, attended the ceremony in France to receive the trophy, diploma, and 60,000 euro prize on her mother’s behalf.

Finalists and International Solidarity

Parliamentary Assembly President Petra Bayr opened the ceremony by paying tribute to Sotoudeh and the two additional finalists for 2026. “May your example strengthen human rights defenders everywhere,” Bayr noted. “May it remind governments of their responsibilities. And may it inspire all of us to defend human dignity: not only with words, but with deeds.”

The runners-up for the 2026 prize were:

• Masih Alinejad: Iranian-American journalist, author, and women’s rights advocate who serves as a prominent voice for the Iranian opposition in exile.
• Márta Pardavi: Hungarian human rights lawyer and co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, recognized for monitoring human rights performance within law enforcement and judicial systems.

The ceremony also featured an address by Belarusian human rights defender Maria Kalesnikava, the 2021 Havel Prize laureate, who was incarcerated in Belarus at the time of her award and released in December 2025.

Heritage of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

Established to honor outstanding civil society action in Europe and beyond, the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in partnership with the Charta 77 Foundation. The award commemorates Czech statesman, author, poet, and dissident Václav Havel, who served as the final President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic.

Sotoudeh joins an esteemed roster of previous laureates, including Maksym Butkevych (2025), María Corina Machado (2024), Osman Kavala (2023), Oyub Titiev (2018), Nadia Murad (2016), and Ales Bialiatski (2013).