| Iranian human rights activist and lawyer Date of Birth: 21.06.1947 Country: Iran |
Iranian human rights activist and lawyer, Shirin Ebadi, is known for her significant contributions to the development of democracy and the fight for human rights, particularly women's and children's rights, in Iran. She was born in 1947 into a prominent Iranian family. Ebadi obtained her law degree from the University of Tehran in 1969 and went on to become a judge after a six-month internship. She defended her dissertation in 1971 and became the first woman in Iran to head a local court in Tehran in 1975.
However, following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ebadi, like other women in the judicial system, was demoted to the position of a court secretary. According to the new Islamist authorities, women were not allowed to make decisions binding on men. Ebadi resigned and was unable to practice law for more than 10 years. She finally obtained permission to open a legal consultation office in 1993.
In the 1980s, Ebadi gained widespread recognition in Iran through her books and articles. In the 1990s, she had the opportunity to teach at the University of Tehran. She played a crucial role in strengthening moderate-liberal tendencies in Iranian society in the late 1990s, and her advocacy for increasing the role of women in Iranian public life was an important factor in the victory of Mohammad Khatami in the 1997 presidential elections.
As a lawyer, Ebadi was involved in several important court cases in Iran during the 1990s. She represented the families of intellectuals who were killed due to their opposition views. In one of these cases in 2000, Ebadi publicly revealed a video recording of Amir Farhad Ibrahim's testimony, implicating conservative religious leaders in Iran in ordering the assassinations of politicians close to President Khatami. For disclosing this evidence, Ebadi was sentenced to five years in prison, although the sentence was later overturned.
In addition, Ebadi handled numerous cases related to the banning of Iranian newspapers and defended persecuted followers of the Baha'i religion in Iran.
Ebadi founded and led two Iranian human rights organizations: the Iranian Society for the Protection of Children's Rights and the Center for the Defense of Human Rights.
The announcement of Ebadi being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 received mixed reactions in Iran. According to some reports, Iranian society expressed wide support for this decision, even celebrating in the streets. However, President Khatami issued a restrained statement suggesting that the Nobel Peace Prize was often used as a political tool to pressure certain countries.
In various speeches following the announcement of her Nobel laureate status, Ebadi emphasized her commitment to Islam and her patriotism. She opposed any foreign intervention in Iran, stating that the fight for human rights should be led by Iranians themselves. Ebadi also defended Iran's nuclear program, considering it a matter of national pride and arguing that no Iranian government, regardless of its ideological sympathies, could halt the program.
Ebadi's books have been published in English, including "The Rights of the Child: A Study of Legal Aspects of Children's Rights in Iran" (1994), "History and Documentation of Human Rights in Iran" (2000), and "Iran Awakening: A Memoir of Revolution and Hope" (2006).
She has been awarded honorary doctorates by several Western universities, including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, York University, Australian Catholic University, and others.