Iran: 2007 Human Rights First Award Honoree: Fariba Davoodi Mohajer
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Human Rights First “There is another line of defense: if you take these women, there are more behind them. We will be there, and you will hear our voices." - Fariba Davoodi Mohajer
Freedom and dignity are not privileges; they are the birthright of every person. Justice and fairness are not ideals; they are the linchpins of a civilized society. Unfortunately, those rights are not given to us freely. Unfortunately, they must be won by men and women of courage. Every day, all over the world, thousands of individuals – some of them famous, many more anonymous – exhibit extraordinary courage in the pursuit of our common birthright. Every year, Human Rights First presents its annual Human Rights Award to honor the work of these extraordinary individuals.
“There is another line of defense: if you take these women, there are more behind them. We will be there, and you will hear our voices. The government has to understand that it is in a woman’s blood to speak out. The strength of the women’s movement is that the women are not fearful of what will happen to them next.”
--Fariba Davoodi Mohajer
March 17, 2007
In 2001, Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, a leading Iranian journalist and activist, was arrested in her home and beaten in front of her children. She was imprisoned and interrogated for 40 days – blindfolded, in solitary confinement, in an unknown location. Her crime: writing newspaper articles and speaking at universities bringing attention to the serial murders of writers in her country and calling for political reform and women’s rights in Iran. She was tried and sentenced to 2 years suspended prison sentence. Since then, she has written for a string of now-banned publications, led several of the most prominent pro-reform groups, and become an organizer of the growing women's movement in Iran.
In 2006, when hundreds of women took to the streets to demanding their equality before the law, Fariba was once again arrested and subsequently released on bail. She and the other women leaders were not discouraged. They decided that since they were prohibited from voicing their opinions as journalists, lawyers, judges, or politicians – and could not gather in the streets – they would go door-to-door to educate women about the laws that violated their basic rights. This effort, called the One Million Signatures Campaign, has drawn the attention of men and women inside and outside Iran, and has become the most powerful pro-reform movement in Iran today.
Speaking out for women's rights in Iran is dangerous. Fariba tells the story of one young colleague who was beaten severely by police officers when she was arrested only to be beaten again by her father after she was released. This instance is a indicator of a society where women are repressed both in their homes and in the society. In a repressive climate that is perilous for any outspoken critic of the government, women like Fariba face a lot of obstacles both in private and public spheres.
On April 18, 2007, in a closed trial at which Fariba was not present, the Iranian court convicted her of violating national security laws because of her role in the 2006 protests. She received a four year sentence. Now living in Washington, DC, she continues to work tirelessly to raise awareness of the laws that treat women like second-class citizens in Iran. Fariba hopes to return to Iran in the coming months even though she will face imprisonment.
