Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadiis an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's, children's, and refugee rights. She was the first ever Iranian to receive the prize...
NationalityIranian
ProfessionLawyer
Date of Birth21 June 1947
government veils force
No government can make me wear a veil, no government can force me not to wear it either
rights president vote
When you vote, vote for those who are not warmongers, and vote for those who respect human rights. When you see a president who doesn't respect human rights, don't vote for that person.
government people desire
We shouldn't just consider the desire of government to do what it wants to do. We should always consider the resistance of people. The culture of Iranian people doesn't let the government drag people into deep trouble or backlash. Maybe government wants it, but the culture doesn't let it go on.
iran people want
The people are fed up with corruption and embezzlement. They object to censorship. The first thing that the people of Iran want is free elections.
iran years two
The government of Iran claims that every two years there are elections. But none of them are free.
government iran funny-things
When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp. The funny thing is that human rights activists and Mr. Bush can never be situated in the same group.
unique europe people
Europe clearly is the only place where people can speak up critically, and this is a unique cultural value.
oxygen order air
When there is enough oxygen in the air for everyone, no one is going to take to violence in order to access it. But if there were not enough of it for everyone then people would result to violence in order to get it. Therefore we have to improve the conditions to have better human beings.
daughter looks imitating-others
I have never been convinced throughout my life that one needs to be imitating others. I even tell my daughters not to look at me as a model.
rights civilization people
I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies violence, terrorism, or injustice. There is no civilization that justifies the killing of innocent people. Those who are invoking cultural relativism are really using that as an excuse for violating human rights and to put a cultural mask on the face of what they're doing.
rights iran numbers
The most important problem in Iran is that the courts have lost their independence, and they are under the influence of the Ministry of Intelligence and their people. This is why we witness a number of journalists and human rights activists, my colleagues, and a number of feminists, in prison.
rights bombs human-rights
North Americans do not understand that you do not throw down human rights like bombs on the Iraqis.
axes iran evil
I have never agreed with President Bush's argument regarding the axis of evil. Unfortunately, fundamentalists in Iran have used this as an excuse to brand us as allies of Mr. Bush.
fighting justice terrorism
Certainly, the fight against terrorism is a legitimate fight. And certainly whoever commits terrorism should be brought to justice.