Renowned Iran human rights advocate and political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh describes the Russian invasion of Ukraine as war between democracy and dictatorship.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Sotoudeh praised the resistance by the people of Ukraine, calling on the international community to help the Ukrainian people "who do not want to be silently crushed under the boots of the aggressors".

She said, "This is a war between democracy and dictatorship, but fortunately the Ukrainian people are not alone in this battle, and the world has come to help Ukraine with great concern."

Sotoudeh has taken a risk by her action as she has received a long prison term and is free on temporary basis.

"As a woman who has lived in a country that has been directly involved in war for eight years, I can imagine the horror of the war and the naked violence against defenseless human beings”, Sotoudeh added.

Calling on the secretary-general to use "all international means to end this blatant aggression", she said that “like millions of people around the world, I am terrified of this brazen aggression… world peace is meaningless without standing up to Russian military aggression and supporting Ukraine”.

Sotoudeh is sentenced to 38 years in prison for two open cases in two political cases with vague charges of activities against the Islamic regime.