Shirin Ebadi

Easton Press Shirin Ebadi books

Iran Awakening - signed first edition - 2006

 

Shirin Ebadi biography

Shirin Ebadi, born on June 21, 1947, in Hamadan, Iran, is a prominent Iranian lawyer, former judge, and human rights activist. She grew up in a family with a strong commitment to education and justice. In 1969, she became one of the first women to graduate from the law program at the University of Tehran. Ebadi's professional career took a significant turn in 1975 when she became the first female judge in Iran. However, following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, her position as a judge was terminated due to the government's new policies on women's roles in the judiciary. Undeterred, she continued her legal work by establishing a private practice, specializing in human rights cases.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Shirin Ebadi became increasingly involved in human rights activism, particularly focusing on the rights of women, children, and political prisoners in Iran. Her advocacy often brought her into conflict with the Iranian government, which subjected her to harassment and intimidation. In 2003, Shirin Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous efforts to promote human rights, democracy, and gender equality in Iran. She became the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to receive the prestigious award. The Nobel Committee recognized her as a "sound professional, a courageous person, and has never heeded the threat to her own safety." Despite the risks, Ebadi continued her work, using her Nobel Prize platform to advocate for the rights of women and children and to condemn human rights abuses in Iran. She called for an independent judiciary and democratic reforms in her homeland.

In 2009, following the disputed presidential election in Iran, Ebadi faced increased persecution, and she was forced to leave the country. She continued her advocacy from abroad, tirelessly working to raise awareness about the human rights situation in Iran. Shirin Ebadi's life and work exemplify her commitment to justice, human rights, and the empowerment of women. Her courage in the face of adversity has inspired many around the world, and she remains an influential figure in the global human rights community.

 

Iran Awakening - A Memoir of Revolution and Hope

Best known in this country as the lawyer working tirelessly on behalf of Canadian photojournalist, Zara Kazemi raped, tortured and murdered in Iran Dr. Ebadi offers us a vivid picture of the struggles of one woman against the system. The book movingly chronicles her childhood in a loving, untraditional family, her upbringing before the Revolution in 1979 that toppled the Shah, her marriage and her religious faith, as well as her life as a mother and lawyer battling an oppressive regime in the courts while bringing up her girls at home.

Outspoken, controversial, Shirin Ebadi is one of the most fascinating women today. She rose quickly to become the first female judge in the country; but when the religious authorities declared women unfit to serve as judges she was demoted to clerk in the courtroom she had once presided over. She eventually fought her way back as a human rights lawyer, defending women and children in politically charged cases that most lawyers were afraid to represent. She has been arrested and been the target of assassination, but through it all has spoken out with quiet bravery on behalf of the victims of injustice and discrimination and become a powerful voice for change, almost universally embraced as a hero.

Her memoir is a gripping story and a must-read for anyone interested in Zara Kazemi’s case, in the life of a remarkable woman, or in understanding the political and religious upheaval in our world.