Iran: Human Rights is a Problem...in the US and Europe

Latest from Iran (30 October): Now to the Real Contest

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Sometimes a political move is so audacious that --- for all the pain and tragedy that it obscures --- you have to tip your hat at the hypocrisy.

Iran's delegation at the United General Assembly cut loose yesterday, criticising the US, Canada and European Union for human rights violations. One Iranian concern was that “racial and religious prejudice have increased in the EU countries in the past few years. Muslims and religious minorities are verbally and physically attacked and are often barred from job opportunities." Another was that in the United States, "ethnic minorities and residents who are originally from Africa or Latin America are the victims of prejudice and deprived of human rights".

However, it was what followed that turned my interest into wonder: "The Iranians went on to say that police in the EU countries have 'resorted to torture and violence'." In Canada, “Native women are the victims of police violence and rape. They are kept in mixed prisons in which they are inevitably bothered by either their cellmates or prison staff.”

Where is the Iranian Jon Stewart when you need him?

Iran Newsflash: Lawyer Shadi Sadr Wins Dutch Human Rights Award

The Latest from Iran (21 October): Room for a Challenge?

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An EA reader kindly sends us breaking news from the Dutch Foreign Ministry:

The Iranian human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr has won the 2009 Human Rights Defenders Tulip for her courage in championing the human rights of her fellow citizens. Netherlands Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen will present the award in The Hague on Monday 9 November.

Ms Sadr defends the rights of women in Iran, where she works as a lawyer, journalist and researcher. "Shadi Sadr is being awarded the Human Rights Defenders Tulip for her exceptional courage, perseverance and work in an environment of concern, where human rights are repeatedly violated," said Mr Verhagen.

In her work as a lawyer, Ms Sadr defends women and human rights activists. In 2004, she set up Raahi, an organisation that seeks to improve women’s rights. Raahi provides free legal assistance, particularly in family law cases, to women in positions of acute difficulty. In addition, Ms Sadr is campaigning to abolish the practice of stoning to death in Iran. To this end, she co-founded the campaign "Stop Stoning Forever".

As a journalist, Ms Sadr writes for magazines, newspapers and websites. She combines these activities by regularly contributing critical articles about legal cases she has handled and about the way in which women are treated. For many years, she has been addressing taboo subjects such as domestic violence and bringing them out into the open.

Ms Sadr’s peaceful efforts on behalf of others have incurred a backlash of incidents. She has received personal threats and her phone has been tapped. In 2005, the authorities banned her from leaving the country for a year. In March 2007 she was arrested and imprisoned. During the unrest surrounding the presidential elections in Iran on 12 June this year, she was forcibly arrested and jailed for 11 days.

The award consists of a bronze sculpture of the Human Rights Tulip and a personal prize of €10,000. The winner may also submit a proposal for a project to the value of €100,000. This will enable Ms Sadr to intensify her work as a human rights defender and extend her network within the Netherlands and the rest of Europe.