Sunday, February 25, 2007

Shirin Ebadi: Freedom of Speech is our Right as Well (ROOZ :: English)

Shirin Ebadi: Freedom of Speech is our Right as Well

Arash Bahmani - 2007.02.26

Following the official complaint of a number of Iranian publishers filed against the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Rooz discussed the issue with their lawyer, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. “There is not doubt that nuclear energy is our inaliable right, but we have other more important and urgent rights such as welfare, peace of mind, health etc. No right can be sacrificed for the sake of another right,” she said.

Rooz (R ): What is the complaint against the Ministry of Guidance about?

Shirin Ebadi (SE): A group of publishers and authors have filed an official complaint against the ministry because since Saffar Herandi was appointed as Minister of Culture, censorship has been intensified. The ministry even rescinded on some earlier valid publishing licenses. An example of that is a book titled My Share (Sahme Man) which has been reprinted 13 times but was stopped for its 14th run. The ministry did not even provide an official reason for the revocation, limiting itself to some form of verbal comment. These things have become personal. According to the constitution provides, the publication of books and other material is free. Any violations are to be examined after publication. So any control before publication is against the law. In addition, there are no standards or rules for the current controls.

R: Officials have said that this is the continuation of the trend that existed in the previous administration.

SE: Even if this was the case during President Khatami’s administration, it was against the law. However, in the past, when a book was issued a publishing licence, the permit was valid for subsequent reprints.

R: Mr. Ahmadinejad recently said that we could forego all our activities for the next 10 years for nuclear energy. Do you think cultural issues will be subject to this proclamation?

SE: There is no doubt that nuclear energy is our inaliable right. But we have other more important rights as well, such as welfare, peace of mind, health, etc. One right cannot be sacrificed for another, especially if we are talking about cultural right and the freedom of expression which cannot be constrained because of nuclear energy. Those who desire nuclear energy should know that free flow of information and freedom of speech are our inaliable rights as well. How can they even attain nuclear energy without the freedom of expression?

R: Some have said that because the country is under extraordinary circumstances, new red lines should be drawn. Something that is done in other countries as well.

SE: There is not justification for limiting freedom of expression.

R: What do you think will be the outcome of this complaint?

SE: I am generally an optimist and so think the Government Administrative Tribunal (Divan Edalat Edari) will prove its independence and pursue our complaint. But if the Tribunal does not follow up, then as a lawyer, I see it as my right to take the issue to the international community.



Source: ROOZ

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