Award to a female Iranian defender of human rights in December 2008 in Merano

The appeal of the peace Nobel Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi – patroness of the 1st International Congress of Women’s Museums - to award prices to Iranian women for their protection against repressive measures of the regime was heard in South Tyrol: The "International-Human-Rights-Prize" in 2008 goes to the lawyer and defender of human rights Nasrin Sotoudeh as suggested by Ebadi.

During her opening address on the situation of women in Iran and the Middle East on June 11th, 2008 at the 1st International Congress of Women’s Museums, Shirin Ebadi pointed to the fact that petitions and awards of prizes are very important for the work of human activists. Adolf Pfitscher, founder of the Human Rights International (HRI) South Tyrol, who was sitting among the audience, had together with his team decided spontaneously to award the next prize to an Iranian woman as suggested by Shirin Ebadi.

The next day, eight women were arrested in Teheran, where a seminar was scheduled to take place in honor of the anniversary of the day of solidarity of Iranian women to review the achievements of the women's movements as well on publicizing and popularizing the women’s rights demands. The breast-feeding mother Nasrin Sotoodeh who came to assist as a lawyer and defender of human rights was likewise arrested. In consequence of that and during the final celebration of the 1st International Congress on June 13th at Castle Tyrol, Shirin Ebadi suggested Nasrin Sotoudeh for the award. Ebadi took the nomination to Teheran and presented it to her personally. Meanwhile, also Sotoodeh had been released on bail as a breast-feeding mother; however, she has to stand trial on that matter.

According to Ebadi, thanks to this price, the sentence of the court will be milder. Sotoudeh is delighted about the price and has already sent an email to thank for it. She wrote that this price motivates her to pursue her activities more intensively. This help from abroad is essential for the activities of human rights in Iran. She also hopes to be able to come to the presentation of prizes in December in Merano.

The presentation of prizes will take place on the occasion of the “International Day of Human Rights” on December 12, 2008, probably in the Civic Theatre. Under the aegis of Shirin Ebadi and the Network of Women’s Museums, represented by the Women’s Museum in Merano, which together with the HRI South Tyrol, will organize the prize awarding.

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