Source: Carnegie
Contact: Daniel Brumberg, 202-338-7597
For Immediate Release: October 10, 2003
Statement on Shirin Ebadi's Receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize
From Daniel Brumberg, Carnegie Senior Associate
A lawyer and writer as well as Iran's first woman judge,Shirin Ebadi became one of the heroes of Iran's reformist movement, when in 1999 she defied hardliners by representing families of prominent writers and intellectuals killed in wave of assassinations. Arrested in 2000 and prosecuted in a closed trial, she continued to campaign for human rights after being banned from practicing law for five years.
"We warmly congratulate Iranian rights activist Shirin Ebadi, who this week was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize also represents a moral boost for Iran's reformists, who have been the subject of a relentless campaign of intimidation. It is a clear indication to the country's conservative establishment that there is international solidarity for those who are struggling inside Iran to bring about democratic change and respect for human rights."
Click below to listen to audio clips from an interview with Daniel Brumberg:
Audio
• Who is Shirin Ebadi? (1:03)
• What this mean for moderates (0:41)
• How will Iran's government react? (0:41)
• What message does the award send? (0:43)
Daniel Brumberg is a senior associate in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Democracy and Rule of Law project.
Visit www.carnegieendowment.org/democracy for access to additional commentary and writing from Brumberg.