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Details of the attack on Shirin Ebadi’s speech

Thursday, December 04, 2003 - ©2003 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Dec 4 (IRANMANIA) - The whole saga began when the Student Islamic Socitey of the Al-Zahra University in Tehran invited Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel laureate, to the university to give a lecture on the social situation of Iran, women and children rights, before leaving for Norway to collect her peace prize award.

Al-Zahra University is a womens only institution and the courses focus on law, politics, philosophy and religion.

Ebadi answered in the affirmative and accepted the invitation. The students publicized the event both inside and outside the university. The announcement led to a number of student protests.

One day prior to the event, a group of students gathered outside the office of Zahra Rahnavard, the university’s head and called for the cancellation of the event. But Ms. Rahnavard rejected the call and told the students to attend the gathering and to express their views during the question and answer period.

The head of the university said: “I have always desired a society where dialogue and understanding dominates. I believe that everyone has the right to express their point of view. I believe in freedom of thought and expression, but some hate criticism.”

Ebadi’s supporters encircled her and guided her to the floor below the amphitheatre. Immediately Ms. Rahnavard informed the police and the police personnel entered the campus and escorted Ms. Ebadi out of the university.

When Shirin Ebadi was awarded the Nobel peace prize, hardliners in Iran clearly made their views known. The conservative press tried to draw parallels between the Iranian laureate and Israeli figures such as Shimon Perez, Sadat and Begnin in a bid to discredit her.

At the end of the chaos in Al-Zahra University, a knife and two big padlocks were discovered! Moreover a number of rather middle-aged women were seen among the students who were neither students nor among the university staff.

During the protest, more non-students appeared totaling around 80 people while Ebadi’s supporters numbered around 250.

The head of the university, Ms. Rahnavard, sharply criticized the behavior of the protestors and threatened to resign if the violent protestors are not convicted.

“The ceremony was being held by the permission of the supervisory board of the university, so it was quite legal. Those who wish to conduct themselves with sticks and batons should know that a day will come when they themselves will be the victims. I will seriously follow the case. Either the violators are punished or I will resign as someone who has failed in creating a harmonious cultural atmosphere in the university.” she stated.
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