Nobel Women's Initiative

Update

Ten Nobel Peace Prize laureates have written to Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki urging the government of Iran to "immediately reverse its threat of prosecution against Iran's most prominent independent human rights organization and Dr. Shirin Ebadi."

The letter was signed by Laureates Máiread Corrigan Maguire (1976), Betty Williams (1976), Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (1980), Elie Wiesel (1986), The Dalai Lama (1989), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (1992), Bishop Carlos Belo (1996), Jody Williams (1997) and Wangari Maathai (2004).

"The silencing of the CDHR would be an enormous set back for human rights around the world. At a time of escalating global violence and crimes against humanity, we are asking the government of Iran to take a stand for human rights and to serve as a beacon of hope for the people of Iran, the Middle East, and the world." See full text of letter below.

Background

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel peace laureate and co-founder of the Center for Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) and fellow human rights defenders have been threatened with prosecution.

The CDHR reports on violations of human rights in Iran, defends dissidents and political prisoners pro bono and supports the families of such prisoners. They have defended many victims of human rights abuses since their inception four years ago.

On August 3, the interior ministry of the government of Iran announced that the CDHR was an illegal organization and threatened its president, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, and her staff with prosecution if they continue their human rights activities.

An interior ministry statement claimed the CDHR had not obtained the proper permit.

Yet such civil society organizations are not required by law to obtain permission to operate. As Shirin Ebadi responded to the announcement, Under Iran's constitution, nongovernmental organizations that obey the law and do not disrupt public order do not need a permit.

Human Rights Watch stated, in their August 9 press release, the government's threat, and the continued withholding of a permit for the CDHR, is a blatant attack on the legitimate exercise of fundamental rights and independent voices in Iran, and should be of concern to all who support peaceful democratic progress in Iran.
The Nobel Women's Initiative calls on the government of Iran to reverse its threat to the CDHR, and to enable human rights defenders to operate peacefully free from fear of intimidation and prosecution, according to Iranian and international law.

For media stories:

Who's Afraid of Shirin Ebadi, New York Times, 15 August 2006

Nobel Peace Winner Threatened with Arrest, Inter Press Service, 28 August 2006

For statements by human rights organizations:

Amnesty International

Human Rights First

Take Action:
Urge Iran to Reverse Threat to Shirin Ebadi's Humsn Rights Organization

Message from Shirin Ebadi
5 August 2006

There is a very important matter I would like to discuss with you. I conduct my human rights activities through the Defender of Human Rights Center (DHRC). I am the president of this center and we have three important responsibilities:

a. We report the violations of human rights that take place in Iran.
b. We defend political prisoners pro bono -- about 70% of the political prisoners in Iran are clients of our center and we do not charge them for our services.
c. We support the families of these prisoners both financially -- if they require financial aid -- and spiritually.

This center is a member of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and has been registered there. It has also been awarded a human rights prize by the Human Rights National Commission in France. This center is very well known and credible in Iran. Two days ago the government of Iran announced that this center is illegal and provided we continue our activities, they shall arrest us. Of course me and the other members of the center do not intend to shut down the center and we shall continue our activities. However, there is a high possibility that that they will arrest us. The government's action in this regard is illegal.

This center has been established and working for more than four years now. I believe this decision of the government has been triggered by my memoir being published. In any case, I am happy that my memoir has been published, for the truth must be told.

Therefore, I kindly request that you broadcast this message by all means and gather spiritual support for our center.
Best wishes,

Shirin

***

Download the pdf of the Nobel Peace Laureates Letter to the Foreign Minister of Iran in English, or Farsi.

Read the latest News  on the Middle East.

Read about the Middle East at our Middle East Issue page.

Take Action or the people of the Middle East.