Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland Vice-President/High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 242, Rue de la Loi B - 1046 Brussels Stavros Lambrinidis Special Representative for Human Rights 242, Rue de la Loi B - 1046 Brussels Honourable Lady Ashton, Special Representative Lambrinidis, On 19 October 2014, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was banned from practicing law for three years by the Iranian Bar Association. Tehran's prosecutor filed a complaint against her. It is the first time in its decades-long history that the association has disqualified a lawyer. We consider the decision to disbar Nasrin Sotoudeh arbitrary and illegal. She has been imprisoned in the past and was pardoned shortly after President Rouhani took office. Nasrin Sotoudeh has taken on high profile human rights cases and has represented journalists and activists. She received the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2012 as a message of solidarity and recognition of a lawyer who had not bowed to fear and intimidation. We call on you to raise the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh, and to share our grave concerns about human rights and justice violations, with Iranian authorities at the highest level. Sincerely, Marietje Schaake (ALDE) Petras Austrevicius (ALDE) Hans van Baalen (ALDE) Bas Belder (ECR) Beatriz Becerra (ALDE) Bodil Ceballos (Greens/EFA) Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL) Malin Björk (GUE/NGL) Gerard Deprez (ALDE) Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL) Santiago Fisas Ayxela (EPP) Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE) Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal (ALDE) Ana Maria Gomes (S&D) Marian Harkin (ALDE) Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA) Hans-Olaf Henkel (ECR) Petr Jezek (ALDE) Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL) Rados Jozo (ALDE) Eva Kaili (S&D) Tunne Kelam (EPP) Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA) Jo Leinen (S&D) Janusz Lewandowski (EPP) Barbara Lochbihler (Greens/EFA) Ulrike Lunacek (Greens/EFA) Ernst Maragall (Greens/EFA) Fernando Maura Barandiarán (ALDE) Gesine Meissner (ALDE) Matthijs van Miltenburg (ALDE) Angelika Mlinar (ALDE) Ulrike Müller (ALDE) Javier Nart (ALDE) Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D) Cristian Dan Preda (EPP) Jozo Rados (ALDE) Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA) Robert Rochefort (ALDE) Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA) Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP) Alyn Smith (Greens/EFA) Bart Staes (Greens/EFA) Keith Taylor (Greens/EFA) Pavel Telička (ALDE) Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA) Sophie in 't Veld (ALDE) Ivo Vajgl (ALDE) Marie Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL) Renate Weber (EPP) Iuliu Winkler (EPP) Tatjana Zdanoka (Greens/EFA) Gabriele Zimmer (GUE/NGL) .