Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize

Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been awarded the 2026 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. Sotoudeh is known for defending women's rights activists and political prisoners in Iran, work that has led to repeated arrests and prison sentences. The award honors individuals defending human rights in the spirit of the late Czech dissident president.

Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been awarded the 2026 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. Sotoudeh, long known for defending women's rights activists and opposition figures in Iran and for spending years in prison herself, is being recognised for her continuing work despite sustained pressure from Iranian authorities.