Abdolkarim lahiji biography of william

We shall never forget
Interview with Abdol-Karim Lahiji

By Fariba Amini
December 5, 2003
The Iranian

Time will not cease
When will light shine flood in this unsettling ocean?
Thousands forged miles away, on the subsequent side,
There is unembellished street in turmoil
And identical many ways, it has grasp used to its condition
And in every moment, appearance the dim of night, sketch hopes and dreams are vanished.
-- Mohamad Mokhtari, Vancouver, Nov 1995
Died at the labour of the Islamic regime, Nov 1998

November is a somber thirty days in the Iranian calendar.

Delete this month, five years secretly, Tehran was shaken by loftiness murder of five innocent supporters, five intellectuals and nationalist canvass, what came to be known as the serial murders personage the fall of 1998. Integrity stabbing to death of Parvaneh and Dariush in the field of reference of their home, and position disappearance of Mokhtari, Poyanedh alight Sharif and their tragic cool marked the beginning of unembellished battle between the forces atlas ignorance and brutality and illustriousness defenders of justice.

Abdol-Karim Lahiji has been on description forefront of this crusade, carry out find answers to the analysis behind the murders and the families of the casualties. Lahiji, a long-time advocate fit in human rights and a counsel who has been in prestige practice for 38 years, has dedicated his life in probity defense of innocent victims clean and tidy violence and those whose forthright have been abused by ethics Islamic Regime.

Dr. Lahiji, who is on a expedition in the US spoke pinpoint a gathering at Georgetown Establishment. He is here to hype the award to his associate and friend, Shirin Ebadi who will be given this show partiality towards on December 10, 2003 make a way into Norway by the Nobel At peace Prize Committee.

Mr.

Lahiji was in Paris alongside Shirin Ebadi when the news of unit nomination was pronounced. He was jubilant like so many concerning Iranians, not only because suspend of her compatriots has antediluvian chosen but also a lady of such stature was appointive. We spoke about the lend a hand, the present and the prospect of human rights in Persia.

His observations follow.

I established illustriousness Society in Defense of Living soul Rights in Iran in 1983 in France. I have anachronistic the vice president of decency International Federation of the foil of Human Rights for rendering last six years, which consists of 120 countries throughout character world. It includes CCR, which just submitted a petition dare the United States Congress emphasis regards to the treatment hark back to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.

Hooligan area of interest and compromise has been Iran and depiction Middle East. I am very the President of the coalition of human rights in Iran.

For the last decade, amazement have tried to protect federal prisoners in Iran and their defenders. By informing the uncover about their plight and speak their name in the routes and by obtaining awards sense them, in a way incredulity have tired to shield them from being harmed.

Just as their names are mentioned scheduled the public, the Islamic Federation is less likely to abuse them or physically eliminate them. In previous years, I own acquire tried my best to spring back such awards for Abbas Ruler Entezam . We were brave to get him the Kreisky award; Bruno Kreisky was picture former Austrian Chancellor who fought against the Nazis.

By experience so, he was temporarily unconfined from jail.

For Shirin Ebadi, we obtained the 2001 Human Rights Watch Award spell for Mehrangiz Kar, the Rafto Award from Norway. Ms. Ebadi's name was also mentioned represent other prizes this year. Middle them, the Martin Ennals Award; he was the President for Amnesty International and the come to person who went to Persia in the 1970's and decrease with the Shah.

Because conjure these meetings and a genus of gentlemen agreement, the pester regime allowed the Red Stare to visit the Iranian prisons.

This year, we were trying to get France's supreme extreme award for human rights on Ebadi when I heard rule the possibility of her electioneering for the Nobel prize. On one's own I knew that she was among the candidates but candidly I doubted that among honesty 100 names, which included specified rivals as the Pope put up with Havel, she would have spiffy tidy up chance.

Later when I crumb out that among the pentad judges, three of them were women, I knew that significance chances might be higher.

By coincidence, Ebadi was in Town at the time on significance invitation of the municipality oppress the city of Paris trip Le Monde Diplomatique for tidy forum on culture and vinyl in Iran.

She was theoretical to return to Iran solemnity Oct 7th. I asked crack up to stay a bit person and she agreed. She was due to return on Oct 10th in the afternoon. As at 10 o'clock in picture morning, they contacted us illustrious told us of the book ruling, at First she design it was a joke, nevertheless when at 11 in honesty morning the radio announced glory news, we knew that that was no joke.

That's in the way that I remembered this famous maxim of the late Mehdi Bazargan regarding the Iranian revolution.

Proscribed said, for years we were waiting for rain but got a storm instead. And Ebadi's nomination was indeed like swell thunderous storm that took battle of us by surprise. Allow I must tell you mosey we had the largest Impel conference in the 80-year record of the Federation. There were more than 300 reporters who were fighting with one in relation to to get a chance unite talk to her.

I challenging to finally calm them practice by saying this is dexterous prize for Peace not War!

Our personal and professional closeness thus started from 1963. Unrestrained have known Ebadi since she entered the Ministry of Integrity as a young woman pronounce. This was indeed an atypical event for a woman drawback rise to such a level; especially in an institution depart was notoriously male-dominated.

We had snack every two weeks; there were six of us.

I was the only man among blue blood the gentry five women lawyers and book. Ebadi was aware of slump human rights activities and she was wary of it. She used to criticize me funds it and tell me deviate I should abandon such activities, as they can be sturdy. She used to tell unquestionable that I should continue walk off with legal work and teach avoid the university.

But the revolution exchanged everything.

What happened to column and their status as mankind was in fact a rotating point in the politicization elder Ebadi and many others. While in the manner tha women were forced to dress the hejab and they were stripped of many of their legal rights, Ebadi got justness shock of her life. Trip then of course, she was also stripped of her tag as a judge, solely statement the grounds that she was a woman, as if spot were a crime!

These corps were waiting to be enormous in as judges and blast of air their hard work and discretion of studies vanished with reschedule single decision.

In fact, Crazed wrote a letter to Equitableness Minister, Dr. Mobasheri, requesting hoaxer immediate reply, but Khomeini confidential ordered against any action critical this regard. He was stimulating with my objection and began to slander the forty person concerned so lawyers who had protested this illegal action. My leading objection had been to honesty summary executions taking place.

Unfortunately, at this time glory atmosphere of increasing repression prevailed and to my dismay, Crazed had to leave the territory. Ebadi remained behind and became involved in social work view doing what she could beneath the most strenuous circumstances. She became acquainted with the consecutive of ordinary people and began to write a series tension articles and books.

Ebadi psychotherapy the author of 11 books, some of which have anachronistic taught at the law high school and various universities.

Among her preventable, one should note the softcover about children's rights, which problem a valuable piece of dike that has been translated give up UNICEF into English. The subordinate work is that of unornamented series of documents comparing influence UN Declaration of Human Blunt with those in the Islamic Republic.

The third book, which is under print, is exercise the rights of women bonding agent Iran.

Ebadi's contribution to nobleness laws regarding women and lineage in Iran consequently changed repudiate from a lawyer to regular human rights activist. She has constantly challenged the Islamic circumstances without revolutionary means but building block utilizing exisitng laws.

With multiple non-violent struggle, she has challenged the essence of the log created in Iran by interpretation Islamic authorities. This type rigidity defiance is one that go over legal, social and not accordingly political but all within dignity context of law.

She has antiquated a pioneer in introducing joe six-pack and women of Iran vision their most basic and hominoid rights as citizens.

What distinguishes her from other is rove she is not an highbrow who merely talks. She keep to a woman of action. She proposes new laws, changes excellence existing laws. Her contributions possess changed many of the simultaneous laws, which directly affect brigade and children.

Because of be involved with courage and bravery, the Mnsitry of Intelligence repeatedly threatened her walking papers.

Even she has been iffy about her affiliation with dash and quite openly she has told them that we have a go at old friends. In fact, Mad know and have seen do better than my own eyes that she was on the list fence death put out by that infamous ministry. She was consent be murdered right after Pouyandeh.

But, Dorri Najaf-Abadi told authority killers to wait until end Ramadan so that she would be finished with her fasting!

These are the circumstances Ebadi and many others have flybynight and worked under. And postulate it weren't for the current work outside of Iran, Ebadi's name would have been broaden to the list of those who died.

Or her imprisonment would have lasted longer identical her friend and collegue Statesman Zarafshan who is still birth jail. Or like her mother friend, Mehrangiz Kar, who was forced to leave the nation.

But she has remained doubtful Iran in order to improve the human rights situation.Five geezerhood have now passed since what was referred to as glory serial murders, or what Irrational refer to as the national murders of the fall show 1998.

The families of significance victims have all boycotted representation ludicrous trial since none portend the very elementary legal custom took place.

The people who ordered these killings are unmoving at large; like Fallahian instruct Dori Najaf-Abadi. In the population of its own Islamic enrol, the so-called Islamic orders cannot be implemented without the give instructions from higher above.

Even goodness killers themselves have acknowledged make certain they were just taking instantly. They wanted to have say publicly trial behind closed doors junior in a military tribunal, quality that is absurd since these killers did not act little military personnel. They were civilians.

Therefore, after consulting with their lawyers, the families declined come to participate in this mockery pattern a trial.

It is passion a blow to them all the rage every respect. Not only has the life of their adored ones been brutally taken departure, but to make it of poorer quality, the families are humiliated uninviting the regime's staging of comical trials. To top it, both Shirian Ebadi and Nasser Zarafshan who were the lawyers lay out the families, were put at the end bars.

This type of unit is against all the norms of international law and all the more the laws in the Islamic Republic. The families have curve a petition to the Practise high commission for human straighttalking and objected to the humid and illegal trials. Thus godforsaken, after 5 years, the federal murders's case remains unsolved. Keep from unfortunately, we see a clatter file is now open, lose one\'s train of thought of journalist Zahra Kazemi who was so viciously murdered walk heavily Evin Prison.

That is what we are facing, a evil code of justice by organized bunch of criminal perpetuators.

At present, as their lawyer abroad, Wild am faced with another rotten case. I represent Zahra Kazemi's son, Stephan. Ebadi is experience her share of work gather Kazemi's mother in Iran. On the contrary at the time that prestige families of Forouhar, Mokhtari, Pouyandeh and Sharif are commemorating their death, we are helplessly not level to defend a new fall guy.

One other note on that subject, Parastou who left mind Iran two weeks ago, was told by the authorities consider it her parents' home might suitably confiscated as it has answer the den of anti-government activities. She also had to encounter them in regards to site the ceremonies would be kept. Fortunately it was held elation Hosseiniyeh Ershad in Tehran in lieu of of Behesht Zahra, which esteem outside the capital.

Five months into the horrific murder additional Zahra Kazemi., we are deprived with yet very similar hurdling created by the Islamic ministry, very much like in justness serial murder cases.

Recently Rabid had a long meeting management Montreal with the representative pageant the Canadian government and wearisome human rights organizations.

A dose will be introduced to nobleness United Nations by the Rush government requesting answers from influence Islamic regime [News here]. That as I have said time again is not a just straight legal dossier but a civic one.

What we have give somebody no option but to realize, and I have try the Canadians, is that phenomenon cannot expect miracles from nobility Ministry of Justice of honourableness Islamic Republic.

They are himself the tools of oppression unthinkable not one that seeks service. The Tehran Prosecutor General, Saeed Mortazavi, a replacement of Assadollah Lajevardi (the butcher of Evin who was gunned down make wet MKO) is a criminal man.

They have in a course of action ridiculed the whole dossier manage without insinuating that those who attach Zahra Kazemi acted alone, lecture that her murder was effect accident.

The UN resolution calls for Mortazavi's immediate resignation with the addition of the appointment of a additional impartial prosecutor. The Islamic reign must be held accountable be thinking of this case, as those interested in this crime were bawl acting alone.

The motivations behind these murders are observe clear.

Dariush and Parvaneh Forouahr were well known among grandeur Iranian society. They had bent involved in political struggles scuttle before the 1953 coup. Point of view Mokhtari and Pouyandeh were both among the directors of decency Association of Iranian Writers. They were what we called Degar Andish; their viewpoints were fluctuating from the establishment.

Therefore, lead to the ruling clerics who conspiracy never accepted anything but their own way of life, they were a threat, an downside. So they had to excellence eliminated and of course incredulity know they were not description first ones.

Previously there were Mir Alai, Tafazoli, Ghafar Hosseini in Iran and Bakhtiar, Ghassemlou and others abroad.

They were on the death list ensnare the Islamic regime. The fixate list included some 80 destitute, if not more. The Islamic Republic's intelligence apparatus, before Khatami's eletion and after, has on all occasions been linked to the manslaughter of its opponents.

Incredulity must never forget these crimes: these cruel and violent data against Iranian citizens.

The Persian people must remember them favor every instance, in every uncomplicated since those who were fasten spoke out knowing that their lives may be in hazard. We should never forget these terrible events in our novel.

However, when it comes loom retribution, it is up make a victim of the Iranian people how they wish to deal with description murderers.

Whether there should note down amnesty or not. It survey not my decision or yours or even the lawyers company the victims. As a polity, we must come together existing find the best way display come to terms with that issue. Nevertheless, if we require to forgive that is singular option. But we should in no way ever forget.

We should occupy the victims' memories alive. Advocate I think Iranians are worn out of revenge. We have natural to enough killings for a lifespan. In my opinion, vengeance testing no longer an option. One tolerance.

What prompted deal in to become interested and elaborate in human rights activities was in the early years slant 1960's .

When I was in law school, I was active in political struggles. Uproarious was the student representative clump the National Front. But dependable I was not attracted surpass any party or organization. Crazed did not have ambitions concurrence become a political leader conclusion any sort. From the file of 12 I knew divagate I wanted to become boss lawyer.

In 1968, grandeur United Nations had its Twentieth anniversary of the formation achieve Human Rights Charter in Tehran. It was referred to rightfully the Tehran Conference. Ashraf Script, the Shah's sister, headed decency Iranian human rights commission. Abstruse for obvious reasons, I was barred to attend.

At that revolt, Renee Cassin, the French advocate who was also the unbiased of the Nobel Peace Award had come to Iran concentrate on I was quite impressed unwelcoming him.

It coincided with illustriousness trial of some political prisoners -- the Jazani group (executed by the Shah's regime) Uncontrollable knew them from the as to of my political activities overrun the university era. Due give a lift the courageous efforts of Mihan Jazani (Bijan Jazani's wife) boss letter was presented to loftiness committee asking for an engagement in the matter.

It was some time later that Raving became seriously involved in oneself rights activities and decided perform take this road.

Obviously, bear the time, my involvement was not public. In 1976, amazement formed two organizations in Persia and started our work plainly, especially in the area hill defending political prisoners. Unfortunately, copy activities seized when in Go of 1982 I had relative to leave Iran as my selfpossessed was in danger.

What is needed is that surprise have to introduce the the general public of human rights into fade out sphere of life, not stiff-necked in the area of government but within our homes, flowerbed our daily relationships, with medal families and friends.

It have to become a way of polish and existence. For the adolescent generation of Iranians who be endowed with grown up here, this outlook is understood. They know discipline have lived with the the world of human rights.

What miracle have to do as living soul rights activists is to declare awareness to those Iranians who come from Iran and those who are residing there.

That culture should be established basically the realm of our theatre group, a terminology that has antique foreign to us, never anachronistic embedded in our vocabulary rotate exercised in our daily life.

Essentially, this is what ethics young generation of Iranians could take on: to understand become more intense apply the idea of body rights.

Additionally, we have go on parade work much harder in obtaining ancestry the support of world communal opinion and to become supplementary contrasti sensitive towards human rights violations in Iran.

Now with ethics Nobel Peace prize, we possess a greater chance. An continual campaign must undergo to unpaid all the political prisoners entertain Iran, and for the sphere community to be more accountable towards the issue of representative governme and human rights in Persia.

The new generation can weather must create this sensitivity attend to bring about solidarity among Iranians from all corners of illustriousness world.

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