Thank you, Mr. Chair and the committee, for giving me these two minutes on another very important issue.
Every year, as we all know, this subcommittee recognizes human rights defenders around the world, whom we choose unanimously as a committee. One of the recipients of that recognition in 2021 was Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is a prominent human rights lawyer in Iran. We learned yesterday through Parliamentarians for Global Action that Nasrin Sotoudeh was beaten and arrested in Iran yesterday. She was attending the funeral of a 16-year-old girl, Armita Geravand, who died as a result of her injuries after an incident with the so-called morality police because she wasn't wearing a head covering on public transit. We have word now, through her husband and other sources, that others at that funeral were also beaten and arrested.
I know that as a committee, we all call unanimously for the immediate and unconditional release of Nasrin Sotoudeh and the others arrested alongside her. I seek unanimity. I know I speak for committee members. We condemn this arrest and others like it, and we want to see Nasrin Sotoudeh released.
Thank you.