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Europe clearly is the only place where people can speak up critically, and this is a unique cultural value.

Shirin Ebadi

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Shirin Ebadi
Age: 77
Born: 1947
Born: June 21
Feminist
Human Rights Activist
Judge
Lawyer
Peace Activist
Politician
Writer
Hamedan
Cyrine Abadi
Speak
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Critically
Cultural
People
Clearly
Unique
Europe
Value
Values

More quotes by Shirin Ebadi

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Iran is a rich country, and if the people of this country are poor, it's because of the wrong policies of the government.
Shirin Ebadi
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When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp. The funny thing is that human rights activists and Mr. Bush can never be situated in the same group.
Shirin Ebadi
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Maybe the words are the same, but the time is not the same. Iranians weren't working on achieving nuclear energy.
Shirin Ebadi
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Human rights is the fruit of various civilizations.
Shirin Ebadi
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Unfortunately the situation of human rights in Iran isn't improving. Some of the newspapers were shut down and the government didn't try to reopen the newspapers that were shut down before. And the laws are as bad as before.
Shirin Ebadi
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Over 60 percent of the university students in Iran are female. The women in Iran are better educated than men.
Shirin Ebadi
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Terrorism is based on two major pillars: One is injustice, and the other is a certainty of attitude, the notion that their version of the story is the correct one.
Shirin Ebadi
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Because of our youthful population, we suffer from unemployment in Iran. We need more universities and more job opportunities for the young.
Shirin Ebadi
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When there is enough oxygen in the air for everyone, no one is going to take to violence in order to access it. But if there were not enough of it for everyone then people would result to violence in order to get it. Therefore we have to improve the conditions to have better human beings.
Shirin Ebadi
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Sixty-three percent of our university students are female. But you still see violations of women's rights in Iran. A Muslim man can have up to four wives. He can divorce his wife without offering any reason, while it is quite difficult for a woman to get a divorce.
Shirin Ebadi
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I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies violence, terrorism, or injustice. There is no civilization that justifies the killing of innocent people. Those who are invoking cultural relativism are really using that as an excuse for violating human rights and to put a cultural mask on the face of what they're doing.
Shirin Ebadi
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We must not enable anyone to impose his personal view regarding religion on others by force, oppression, or pressure.
Shirin Ebadi
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Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or her country of origin, religion, descent, or any other ground.
Shirin Ebadi
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Iran, the Iranian government, has mentioned several times that it wouldn't attack Israel.
Shirin Ebadi
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The younger generation is essentially idealistic. This applies to the Iranian youth as well. In addition, the youth in Iran face certain difficulties... the Iranian youth need more freedom. They are struggling for more freedom and democracy. This commands great respect.
Shirin Ebadi
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I have never been convinced throughout my life that one needs to be imitating others. I even tell my daughters not to look at me as a model.
Shirin Ebadi
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democracy ... is not something that occurs overnight. It is not a gift delivered on a golden tray. Democracy is a long process of fighting, challenging accepted ideas, and perpetually striving for freedom. Like a seed that has to be watered every day to become a flower, democracy needs constant attention and care.
Shirin Ebadi
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No government can make me wear a veil, no government can force me not to wear it either
Shirin Ebadi
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The role of Iran has been very destructive. As an Iranian, I apologize to the civilian people of Syria who have been killed as a result of the useless intervention of Iran in Syria.
Shirin Ebadi
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People are fundamentally good. But conditions deteriorate them.
Shirin Ebadi