As Gaza burns, it becomes all too easy to overlook the various human rights abuses still unfolding around the region.
Once such case is that of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and founder of Children’s Rights Support Association in Iran, Shirin Ebadi.
Last week protesters spray-painted slogans on Ebadi’s home, chanted death threats and shouted accusations that she supports Israel’s Gaza offensive.
The demonstration was the third time in 11 days that Iranian authorities or hardline groups had targeted the human rights lawyer.
In December police raided her private law office seizing computers and her clients’ confidential documents, while the authorities closed her human rights center.
The actions have drawn criticism from the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has called on Iranian authorities to take immediate measures to prevent any further harassment and to ensure Ebadi’s safety.
While the motivation for the harassment has been allegedly in the name of security, it is more likely a ruse to destabilise Ebadi’s ongoing work in the field of gender equality, democracy, and human rights.
Anyone who has read Ebadi’s accounts will recall that this is no different to earlier instances of unjust harassment – what remains remarkable is her plucky defiance and indefatigable will to continue.
Filed under: Iran , human rights, Iran
Well does she support Israels offensive in Gaza or not?
My country is led but undemocratic dictators but I still wouldn’t want to see it “liberated” Iraqi Style and see the impending genocide and blood bath that will result only to see one set of dictators replaced by another. If she loved her country she would support it, criticize it when needed but broke no foreign interference or usage of her as a propaganda tool to by those who want to cheerleader for a Iran to be bombed back to the stone age.
This amazing women has tough me many things about the situation in Iran. For me living in a democratic country – Sweden where women holds the same rights as men, I can only pray for Ebadi to keep her strength. She is not alone, all around the world people are feeling and acting with her. I will do my responsibility to talk to all I know about her situation and how the Iranian gov are treating people.