EURO-MP Jean Lambert has welcomed the unexpected early release of human rights activist and 2012 Sakharov Prize winner Nasrin Sotoudeh from prison in Tehran.

“The early release of Nasrin Sotoudeh is unexpected but extremely welcome news,” she said.

“As a human rights activist and lawyer, she was a voice for the many victims of the Iranian regime and those whose rights it suppressed.

“Given the continuing human rights violations in Iran, we hope she will continue her exceptional human rights work and the Greens will support her to this end.

“As a first step, we hope she will be able to travel to the European Parliament to collect the Sakharov Prize awarded during her imprisonment.

“In nominating the imprisoned Sotoudeh for last year’s Sakharov Prize, the Greens/EFA group wanted not only to recognise her tireless work for rights and freedoms in Iran but also to draw attention to her imprisonment and put pressure on the regime to release her.”

Ms Lambert added: “We hope her release will not be a one-off but that the regime will release all political prisoners, and finally take steps towards unconditional respect and protection of human rights in Iran.”