Shahrudi Can Stop Delaram Ali’s Prison Sentence
Shirin Ebadi in Interview with Rooz: - 2007.11.06
Omid Memariano.memarian@roozonline.com
Shirin Ebadi in Interview with Rooz: - 2007.11.06
Omid Memariano.memarian@roozonline.com
Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, the defense attorney for Delaram Ali, the woman human rights activist who was arrested at a women’s rally on June 12, 2006 and sentenced to 2 years and six months imprisonment and must present herself to prison authorities told Rooz Online, “This judgment must be executed unless ayatollah Shahrudi, the head of Iran’s judiciary branch of government, orders a stay of the execution of the order, something that has already been requested from him.”
Delaram Ali was arrested at a peaceful rally and physically attacked by the police. But she failed in her efforts, despite the documents she presented to the judge, to hold those who violated her to any legal responsibility. The judgment against Delaram is the harshest punishment given to any person participating in a peaceful demonstration in recent years. Shirin Ebadi described her case in these words, ”Delaram Ali was attached and brutally beaten up by law enforcement officers on the day she participated in a peaceful and legal demonstration. They broke her arm and I filed a suit against the police on her behalf. But even though we had rock solid evidence and documentation against her violators, the prosecutor issued an order stopping the case. Then a revolutionary court in sentenced her imprisonment.”
On her own website, Delaram Ali engaged in a dialog with her violators and wrote the following to them: “Do you remember June 12, 2006? I know you will erase it from your memory with a little effort, but I remember it every second, every moment and with every phone ring my brother. Do you know why? Because on that day you went home to your family and I went to Evin prison. You ate a warm dinner in your own hose, while I was the guest of the interrogators. Because the scale of justice brought you an acquittal but a 2 year plus 10 month prison sentence for me, and 10 slashes.”
According to Ebadi, the charges against Delaram were activities against state security and propaganda against the regime by participation in the June 12 demonstration. “The court’s judgment went to the appellate court and ended with the 2 year plus six month prison sentence. They merely reduced the punishment by a few months and the slashes. In her case, the court judgment was never submitted to the attorneys, who were not allowed to participate in the trial, or any step in the civil procedure leading to the sentence. On Sunday, they informed Delaram of the court’s sentence, and so she must present herself to the judiciary officials to serve her term. And to show that she is not shaken by the court judgment which will not effect her convictions or commitment to fight for women’s rights, Delaram announced that while the judgment was illegal and unfair, she would, like Socrates, present herself to prison authorities,” Ebadi said. “It is clear that the punishment is out of proportion to my client’s activism and her behavior is not a violation of any law. Because the constitution allows individuals to participate in legal demonstrations which do not require a permit. Furthermore, on June 12, before people had even gathered for the rally and while no one had given any talk at the place, the police attached those who were present and violently dispersed them. The charges of engaging in propaganda against the state is in fact Delaram’s activism to demonstrate to the gender discriminatory laws to the public. I do not understand how does reading a law in public and saying ‘this is the law’, constitute propaganda against the regime. If the state believes that these laws are so unfair that they must not be read in public, and if they are then this constitutes an activity against the state, then why does it not do anything to reform these laws.”
Regarding the immunity that some individuals enjoy because of their connections to the judiciary or the police while they have had clear responsibilities in many cases ranging from what are known as the ‘serial murders’ to Zahra Kazemi’s murder in prison, Ebadi said, “This is what I and all defenders of human rights activists [in Iran] are protesting against. Unfortunately, the judiciary behaves in a manner that makes the implementation of justice an impossible feat in many cases.”
Ebadi once stressed that she would use all domestic and international resources to defend the rights of her clients. On whether this sentence was intended to send a message to the civil society and women’s rights activists, Ebadi said, “The judiciary must be asked about the message. But I can say on behalf of my clients that not only will these sentences not cause them to stop demanding their rights, but will in fact make them more resolute in their pursuit of their human rights.”
Delaram Ali was arrested at a peaceful rally and physically attacked by the police. But she failed in her efforts, despite the documents she presented to the judge, to hold those who violated her to any legal responsibility. The judgment against Delaram is the harshest punishment given to any person participating in a peaceful demonstration in recent years. Shirin Ebadi described her case in these words, ”Delaram Ali was attached and brutally beaten up by law enforcement officers on the day she participated in a peaceful and legal demonstration. They broke her arm and I filed a suit against the police on her behalf. But even though we had rock solid evidence and documentation against her violators, the prosecutor issued an order stopping the case. Then a revolutionary court in sentenced her imprisonment.”
On her own website, Delaram Ali engaged in a dialog with her violators and wrote the following to them: “Do you remember June 12, 2006? I know you will erase it from your memory with a little effort, but I remember it every second, every moment and with every phone ring my brother. Do you know why? Because on that day you went home to your family and I went to Evin prison. You ate a warm dinner in your own hose, while I was the guest of the interrogators. Because the scale of justice brought you an acquittal but a 2 year plus 10 month prison sentence for me, and 10 slashes.”
According to Ebadi, the charges against Delaram were activities against state security and propaganda against the regime by participation in the June 12 demonstration. “The court’s judgment went to the appellate court and ended with the 2 year plus six month prison sentence. They merely reduced the punishment by a few months and the slashes. In her case, the court judgment was never submitted to the attorneys, who were not allowed to participate in the trial, or any step in the civil procedure leading to the sentence. On Sunday, they informed Delaram of the court’s sentence, and so she must present herself to the judiciary officials to serve her term. And to show that she is not shaken by the court judgment which will not effect her convictions or commitment to fight for women’s rights, Delaram announced that while the judgment was illegal and unfair, she would, like Socrates, present herself to prison authorities,” Ebadi said. “It is clear that the punishment is out of proportion to my client’s activism and her behavior is not a violation of any law. Because the constitution allows individuals to participate in legal demonstrations which do not require a permit. Furthermore, on June 12, before people had even gathered for the rally and while no one had given any talk at the place, the police attached those who were present and violently dispersed them. The charges of engaging in propaganda against the state is in fact Delaram’s activism to demonstrate to the gender discriminatory laws to the public. I do not understand how does reading a law in public and saying ‘this is the law’, constitute propaganda against the regime. If the state believes that these laws are so unfair that they must not be read in public, and if they are then this constitutes an activity against the state, then why does it not do anything to reform these laws.”
Regarding the immunity that some individuals enjoy because of their connections to the judiciary or the police while they have had clear responsibilities in many cases ranging from what are known as the ‘serial murders’ to Zahra Kazemi’s murder in prison, Ebadi said, “This is what I and all defenders of human rights activists [in Iran] are protesting against. Unfortunately, the judiciary behaves in a manner that makes the implementation of justice an impossible feat in many cases.”
Ebadi once stressed that she would use all domestic and international resources to defend the rights of her clients. On whether this sentence was intended to send a message to the civil society and women’s rights activists, Ebadi said, “The judiciary must be asked about the message. But I can say on behalf of my clients that not only will these sentences not cause them to stop demanding their rights, but will in fact make them more resolute in their pursuit of their human rights.”
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posted by Mori A. at
9:28 AM
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