PEN America condemns the arrest of Iranian activist Reza Khandan

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — PEN America has condemned the arrest of Reza Khandan, Iranian activist and husband of leading human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Director of Writers at Risk at the literary and human rights organization demanded Khandan’s immediate release. The pro-reform Shagh Daily cited Mahmoud Behzadi Rad, an Iranian lawyer, as saying Khandan was sentenced in 2019 over spreading “propaganda against the system” and “collusion against national security” and that authorities arrested him Friday to carry out the sentencing. PEN America said Khandan was sentenced to six years in prison “for making and distributing buttons protesting Iran’s compulsory hijab laws in January 2019.”