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  1. Press releases and Statements
  2. Dr Shirin Ebadi's Open Letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Dr Shirin Ebadi's Open Letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Following the murder of a young woman - Mahsa Amini - in the street by government agents, only because part of her hair was out of her scarf, the multitude of unmet demands sparked a massive movement in Iran. While this movement involved various people in the society, however the courage of women, girls, and especially high school students has been especially remarkable. The killing of several teenage girls during a peaceful demonstration fuelled the fire of people's anger and protests spread to about 100 cities in Iran.

Posted on March 6, 2023
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This month and following the above-mentioned incidents, we are witnessing the mass poisonings by gas inhalation of students at girls' high schools and art schools seemingly aimed at intimidating families, to the point that some families are afraid to send their children to school.

In more than 50 schools in different cities including Qom, Tehran, Borujerd, Sari, Qazvin... more than five hundred students were hospitalized with symptoms of respiratory poisoning. Several students have said that an object like a grenade was thrown into the school and gas was released from it. The nature of the gas is still unknown. Although the deputy of research and technology department of the Ministry of Health has confirmed that the poisonings were intentional, unfortunately, no effective action has been taken to discover who is responsible for this crime, and this is while most of the cities are equipped with cameras and protesters are easily identified and arrested.

For Iranians, such conduct is reminiscent of Afghanistan under the Taliban. People believe that the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran are frustrated with with the protest of young girls against the compulsory hijab and the goal of repetition of such events is ultimately to limit the women and girls' movement and make them prisoners in their own homes. Considering that the first duty of any government is to provide security for its citizens, therefore, by announcing the danger of the Islamic Republic's inaction in following up on such incidents, we draw the attention of the international authorities to the fact the Islamic Republic of Iran’s opposition to “Women's rights”  is certainly the root and the main cause of such tragedies, and therefore we urge you to use all your legal means to end such criminal acts.

Kind regards,

Shirin Ebadi

2003 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Chairwoman of the Defenders of Human Rights Center

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Press releases and Statements

June 16, 2025

Iranian Civil Society Says No to War

June 11, 2025

Report on Delegation to West Bank and Jordan: Spotlight on Palestinian Women’s Resistance

May 8, 2025

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Outline Conditions for a People-Centered Peace in Ukraine

April 15, 2025

Women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Bear Witness to Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, and Illegal Occupation in Palestine

March 13, 2025

Nobel Laureates Call for Full and Unconditional Release of Narges Mohammadi and All Political Prisoners

March 7, 2025

Joint Nobel Laureate Appeal to Seize Frozen Russian State Assets

January 22, 2025

The International Community Must Stop Overlooking the DRC

December 20, 2024

Women, Life, Freedom
زن, زندگی, آزادی
Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

October 11, 2024

2024 Nobel Peace Prize Honors Survivors of Nuclear Weapons

October 2, 2024

Closing the Justice Gap: UN Member States Must Take Decisive Action on Crimes Against Humanity

August 29, 2024

Justice Must be Carried out for Berta Cáceres in Honduras

July 12, 2024

Exclusion of Afghan Women from Negotiations Puts Women at Further Risk

More — Press releases and Statements

Recent Media Coverage

Irish lawyer-turned-peace campaigner calls for public to lobby TDs after ‘chilling’ West Bank visit. Irish Independent. 17 May 2025.

‘So much gratitude in West Bank for Irish solidarity’: How Nobel Prize-winners are raising Palestinians’ plight. The Irish Times. 08 May 2025.

Maria Ressa says Americans must ‘hold the line’ against autocracy. GBH. 01 May 2025.

‘It makes me want to scream’: Nobel peace prize winner horrified by planned exits from landmine treaty. The Guardian. 27 April 2025.

As Trump Attacks CBS, Maria Ressa Warns He Is Following Philippine Model to Crack Down on Free Press. Democracy Now. 24 April 2025.

UNRWA students in Jordan share hopes, dreams with women Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The Jordan Times. 22 April 2025.

Nobel Peace Laureates Conclude Jordan Visit with Meeting with HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal. ARDD. 21 April 2025.

Women Nobel Peace Laureates and Jordanian Human Rights Defenders Call for Collective Action for Peace and Security. ARDD. 16 April 2025.

Women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Travel to Meet Palestinian Women. Fox4 News. 15 April 2025.

Tawakkol Karman from Amman: The Palestinian Woman is a Symbol of Resilience and We Must Continue Documenting to Expose the Crimes of the Occupation. Amman Net. 13 April 2025.

All the women who have won the Nobel Peace Prize—and why their role is so important. Tatler. 09 October 2024.

Four Nobel Laureates Call To End Iran’s Execution Spree. Iran International Newsroom. 16 May 2024.

Women Without Weapons: “Rebels With A Cause”. The Urban Activist. 20 February 2024.

Einer Maschine kann man sich nicht ergeben. Tagesspiegel Background. 16 February 2024. 

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Maria Ressa, Tawakkol Karman meet Pope Francis. Global Affairs. 6 December 2023.

Gaza needs a Cease-Fire, not a Cessation of Aid. Informed Comment. 16 November 2023.

Cease fire, not aid. Waging NonViolence. 13 November 2023.

Only democracy can solve this problem - a conversation with Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. Waging NonViolence. 3 November 2023.  

Activist wins Nobel Peace Prize. CTV National News. 6 October 2023.

Jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi wins Nobel peace prize. The Guardian. 6 October 2023.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi reflects on decades of resistance against Iran’s regime. The Globe and Mail. 6 October 2023.

Nobel laureate Ebadi hopes Mohammadi's will bring equality to Iranian women. Reuters. 6 October 2023.

Ukraine joins calls to overhaul “dysfunctional” UN Security Council. Euromaidan Press. 19 September 2023.

Dr. Areeg Abdalmagid Abass: An Urgent Perspective on Sudan. Girls Globe. 12 September 2023.

When Bangladesh PM Shows Growing Enmity Against Prof. Yunus. Pressenza International Press Agency. 3 September 2023.

Leymah Gbowee Urges Voters to Stop Rewarding Warlords With Votes. South Africa Today. 22 August 2023.

Liberia Marks 20 Years Since the End of Its Civil War. Will a War Crimes Court Ever Be Created? Pass Blue. 21 August 2023.

Recognizing the Role of Women in Fighting for Peace in Ukraine. Women's Enews. 23 February 2023. 

How Ukrainian Women Are Working to Safeguard Human Rights in the Face of War. Ms Magazine. 23 February 2023. 

Jody Williams: "Se están usando minas terrestres en la invasión de Ucrania". El Espanol. 8 February 2023. 

Nobel laureate Ebadi says Iran's 'revolutionary process' is irreversible. Reuters. 3 February 2023.

Minelegging truer sivile i Ukraina. Klassekampen. 25 January 2023. 

“Oh, Sister!” — life of Women of Ukraine amidst the war. The Odessa Journal. 29 December 2022.

‘Bravery has no gender’: Nobel prize winner praises role of women in Ukraine conflict. The Irish Times. 16 December 2022.

Für Ukraine alles geben, was möglich ist. Berliner Zeitung, 16 December 2022. 

Shirin Ebadi on the legal obstacles Iran’s protesters face. Economist, 16 November 2022

Will Russia use tactical nukes? It’s time to abolish nuclear weapons.* Houston Chronicle, 6 November 2022

How Women Respond to War: An Interview With Three Nobel Laureates. Women's Media Center, 4 November 2022

U.S/ Seeks Removal of Iran From U.N. Women's Rights Agency. New York Times, 2 November 2022

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Spotlight the Brave, Visionary Women of Ukraine And Launch 'Women Lead' Campaign. Forbes, 28 October 2022

“They Want a Democracy”: Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi on Protests, Regime’s Future. Democracy Now, 20 October 2022

'Iran will be democratic one day': Shirin Ebadi. DW, 23 October 2022

Shirin Ebadi: Women will open the gate to democracy in Iran. CNN, 7 October 2022

*Behind a paywall

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