Shirin Ebadi Office Shut Down By Iran: Nobel Laureate Claims Harassment

Iranian authorities have shut down the office of a human rights group led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, the AP reports.

The police raid targeted the Center for Protecting Human Rights as it was preparing to hold a celebration marking the 60th anniversary of Human Rights Day later in the day. Iranian authorities banned Ebadi's group last year.

Nargest Mohammadi, a senior member of the group, says police closed down the building where the group was operating in north Tehran.

She says the police and plainclothes security officials who carried out Sunday's raid did not provide any explanation or present a warrant.

Much more from CNN:

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights campaigner Shirin Ebadi was briefly taken into custody Sunday as Iranian authorities raided and indefinitely shut down two of her offices in Tehran, she told CNN.

The Iranian authorities never gave her an explanation for the crackdown, and she was later released, she said, adding that there were no arrests in the raid, but the offices remain closed.

Speaking from her home, Ebadi said the closed offices belong to two non-governmental organizations funded by her Nobel Peace Prize earnings: the Center for Participation in Clearing Mine Areas, which helps victims of landmines in Iran; and Defenders of Human Rights Center, founded five years ago to report human rights violations in Iran, defend political prisoners, and support families of those prisoners.

Ebadi said Iranian authorities had no written justification for Sunday's raid, which she described as illegal.

"The collective activities of the human rights activists in Iran have angered the Iranian authorities so much that they have illegally ordered the closing down of two NGOs," she said.

Last Monday, Ebadi called for the release of "a pioneering Iranian blogger, who is reported to have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel," Reuters reported. "Hossein Derakhshan, nicknamed 'the Blogfather,' is credited with launching a blogging revolution in Iran with his Internet diaries, in both English and Farsi, which have in the past been critical of the Tehran government."

Comments

[parisla]

01:38 AM on 12/23/2008

CodePink is collecting signatures in support of Shirin Ebadi and human rights activists in Iran: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/424/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1787

[iblisexpat]

06:43 AM on 12/22/2008

How was it that a photographer was already there to take this photo? Who took it? Are those in the photo the agents who closed the place down? Is this sooooo important an event that photos are printed in U.S. mdeia? This whole report needs explanation to be believeable.

[research]

08:32 PM on 12/21/2008

Iran getting as bad as the USA.

Raid without reasons, did they get their own patriot act?

Or perhaps the domestic terrorist prevent act?

[MagisterLudi]

11:15 PM on 12/21/2008

The stu-pid-est comment of the weekend , congrats.

[jake106]

09:13 AM on 12/22/2008

Yes. I love it when people rush as fast as they can to prove they are more stupid than anyone has any right to be.

[research]

07:47 PM on 12/22/2008

Well, peanut gallery?

Do you deny that US citizens have lost many basic rights?

Common, wise guys.

[Marichu]

07:10 PM on 12/21/2008

Shirin Ebadi could have taken the easy and safe way out and left the country when her group was banned by the government. Knowing the ramification of her actions, the obstacles she has to combat, she chose to stay to continue her work there. A gusty, inspiring woman worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

[persianadvocate]

03:11 PM on 12/21/2008

Shirin joon,

You played with fire and this is the result. You knew this. You should have relocated to Europe years ago. I always wondered why you were not shut down earlier given your strong dissenting voice in a country controlled by a regime that does not allow such voices.

You are welcome to come to NY and practice with me.

[darthdarcy]

02:49 PM on 12/21/2008

Sharia Law is not compatible with Human Rights...

Simple as that...

[LMPE]

02:01 PM on 12/21/2008

Governments don't really like Nobel laureates, do they?

[iblisexpat]

01:36 PM on 12/21/2008

The report says: "Ebadi's group was banned last year". So, it being open ( and trying to hold a large meeting of several similar groups that evening) was ILLEGAL and should have been closed. Nothing illegal in shutting the office down. CNN is the mouthpiece of U.S. administration, totally discredited.

Ebadi received the Nobel Peace Prize purely for political reasons. U.S. and European allies would do anything to discredit and pressure Iran. No surprises.

[MagisterLudi]

02:12 PM on 12/21/2008

To quote the old Police song:" Ahma-dine-jad-jan is not your name, we know what you're up to just the same."

[Mikeatle]

04:19 PM on 12/21/2008

Iran doesn't deserve to exist. It should be banned, just like Ebadi's group. That way, we could come in and shut it down at will.

[Babysnake]

12:58 PM on 12/21/2008

If she is spying, she should be shut down.

[MagisterLudi]

02:12 PM on 12/21/2008

And if not?