The United Nations human rights chief has welcomed this week’s release of 12 political prisoners in Iran, including a number of women’s rights activists, political activists and journalists, and encouraged Tehran to build on this positive step. Among those released on Wednesday by the new Government of President Hassan Rouhani was Nasrin Sotoudeh, an internationally recognised human rights activist and recipient of the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The High Commissioner also welcomed the recent news that the death sentence imposed on Iranian blogger Saeed Malekpour has been overturned, the UN News Centre reported.