WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (KUNA) -- The United States says it is "closely monitoring" reports of human rights abuses in Iran, the State Department confirmed Wednesday.
"We are closely monitoring reports of numerous human rights defenders and members of minority groups, such as the Gonabadi Dervishes, who were unlawfully or arbitrarily incarcerated in Iranian regime prisons," the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters Wednesday.
The United State raised concerns about the continued detention of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is serving a five-year jail sentence.
"We are especially concerned about a prominent human rights lawyer named Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been detained in Tehran Evin Prison since June 2018 and who is facing national security charges for legally representing Iranian woman who was charged for removing her headscarf in public," Nauert said.
"The Iranian regime jails people for peacefully exercising their rights, and then jails people were asked to defend them," Nauert said.
The US also raised concerns about the detention of Narges Mohammadi, a mother of two who was recently sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison for peacefully advocating for human rights reforms. (end) hy.mb