Human Rights Watch urges the Iranian authorities to stop detaining and harassing prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, thereby referring to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which, inter alia, provide that lawyers must be allowed to carry out their work without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. The Basic Principles furthermore require governments and professional associations of lawyers to ensure that lawyers can enter the profession and continue to practice without discrimination, including on the grounds of political or other opinions. The Principles also require governments to ensure that the professional associations can operate without outside interference.