Agence France Press (AFP) has just released the news that the Iranian authorities have closed down the offices of Nobel Laureate human rights defender Shirin Ebadi.
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian police shut down the office of a human rights group headed by Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi on Sunday, the deputy head of the Human Rights Defenders Centre, Narges Mohammadi, told AFP.
“They have sealed off the office and are telling us to leave the premises without resistance,” Mohammadi said. “Mrs Ebadi is there too. We have no choice but to leave.”
She said dozens of policemen had gathered in front of the group’s office in northwest Tehran and that the officials had not “shown a judicial warrant but only provided the number of a warrant.”
She said policemen in uniform and plain clothes had raided the office and made an inventory of its contents.
The group had been scheduled to hold a belated celebration marking the 60th anniversary of Human Rights Day on December 10.
The closure marks a toughened crackdown on rights campaigners by the Islamic republic, which Ebadi’s group accuses of “systematically violating” human rights.
Ebadi condemned Sunday’s crackdown but vowed that human rights advocates in Iran would be unfazed.
“Shutting down the office without a warrant is illegal and we will protest,” she told AFP by telephone.
“Obviously such a move does not have a positive message for other rights activists in Iran, but my colleagues and I will fulfil our duties under any circumstances,” she said.
Read the rest of the article here.
Suspicious coincidence
Shirin Ebadi and her daughter have been subject to attacks on their integrity and reputations ever since Dr Ebadi took up the case of the seven Baha’i leaders in Iran who have been held in detention since May this year. I wonder if there’s any connection between Dr Ebadi’s defence of Baha’is and the closure of her organizations’ offices?
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Iran, human rights, Shirin Ebadi
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{ 2 comments }
Barney,
This event took place some hours ago. A minute ago I searched Google for references to “Shirin Ebadi” posted during the last 12 Hours. There are hundereds! And in many languages!
Definitely, the world is watching the actions of Iranian authorities.
Even as I was writing my blog post about the closure of Shirin Ebadi’s offices, more and more stories were appearing across the world. Definitely the world is watching Iran very closely – which is a very good thing for the Baha’is.
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