Transcript of Ebadi CNN interview, 10 Oct 03, 22:30 London time
Well done Shirin.
Shirin Ebadi looked and sounded like she was about to pass out, but that’s excusable considering what she must have gone through, especially as she didn’t even know that she was nominated. The 1.3 mil's a nice little touch too.
Some editorial license has been applied to Ebadi’s text as her English not so good.
Vote on CNN.com on whether she deserves it. (no sponsorship from CNN. Just quite good coverage)
Interviewer: Jonathan Mann
CNN: …reformers and human rights activists are hailing the announcement Friday, that the [Nobel] Peace Prize has been awarded to Shirin Ebadi. Ebadi is the first Muslim woman and the first Iranian to ever receive the prestigious award. She got it for her life’s wok championing the rights of women, children, writers, minorities, activists and other Iranians of all kinds. Shirin Ebadi joins us now from Paris to talk about her work and her prize.
Congratulations to you, thank you so much for talking with us. Did you know you were a candidate, did you know you were nominated?
Ebadi: No, I didn’t know that I was nominated, and when I heard that I won I was shocked, and when I heard the radio then I believed and I became happy and glad.
CNN: Let me ask you about your work. Women and children who you have defended are disadvantaged all over the world; what is different in Iran?
Ebadi: In Iran we have bad laws which violate women’s rights and we work to change our law.
CNN: and you have been succeeding slowly, but it would seem in recent years that things have changed. So may people have been arrested, newspapers have closed down, reform has slowed. Has it gotten more difficult lately?
Ebadi: More or less it is difficult, but life is a beauty when you work, when everything is not good.
CNN: Do you feel you have made a difference?
Ebadi: Yes, some difference.
CNN: In what way?
Ebadi: About some of the laws we can change, but its not enough. We must have more changing.
CNN: What needs to change in Iran?
Ebadi: In Iran, we don’t have good laws. We have some laws which violate human rights and some people believe that they come from Islam. But I know that they come from a wrong interpretation of Islamic law. If we have good, correct interpretation of Islam we can be good Muslims and have better law in Ian.
CNN: There is no contradiction between Islam and human rights. But is there a contradiction between an Islamic Republic and human rights? A government that says it will interpret Islam and govern trough Islam and the rights of men and women?
Ebadi: you know, when people, when many people want something they can be successful in changing the situation and in Iran people want to approve, to respect human rights and I believe that they will succeed.
CNN: How much have you and your family suffered because of that belief, because of the work you do?
Ebadi: I know that many people in Iran, students, writers, journalists, believe in Human rights.
CNN: How many people are in jail? How many of those people share your ideas without being known to the world the way today you are?
Ebadi: Many people.
CNN: What will this award to for them do you think?
Ebadi: It is very important that people know that hey can have a better life; and education about human rights is very important for Iran.
CNN: Will the people that govern Iran, will the judges of Iran , will the mullahs of Iran be impressed by the Nobel prize you have been awarded?
Ebadi: I think people in Iran [will] be happy by this prize, but government, I don’t know exactly.
CNN: Do you think you are going to have any difficulties because of this prize?
Ebadi: No, I don’t think so.
CNN: You are very modest about your own sacrifices, you were a judge and then the government made that impossible, you were a lawyer and then the government prohibited you from practising law for five years. You have been through a great deal because of your work. You’ve been in jail.
Ebadi: Yes I have been in jail about 25 days.
CNN: That time and other times you must have been very frightened because of what could happen to you.
Ebadi: I don’t know exactly, but I know that it is my duty working for democracy and human rights, because I set the law and in my opinion everybody who studies law, especially in a country like Iran must work for human rights because it is necessary for Iran.
CNN: You said earlier today that human rights are an internal matter for Iran. Should the Nobel Committee, should the European Union, should the United Nations, should the United States stay out of the debate in Iran now?
Ebadi: I think the Nobel prize shows us that our working is correct and it gives us more courage to continue our work.
CNN: I’d like to ask you a question about your clothing, because in Iran you would be dressed very differently. You would not appear with your hair and head uncovered. Is this a gesture you are making because some Iranians would be shocked to see you this way? [she’s not wearing a headscarf, in case you were wondering]
Ebadi: You know, according to our law, I must have hejab in Iran, but not abroad of Iran. It is my choice.
CNN: It is a small thing, but it is a very big thing. How many small things, how many big things does Iran have to change?
Ebadi: It is difficult to say now, but I know that some wrong things in Iran must be changed in the future.
CNN: Do you think you will have difficulty returning now to Iran or leaving again to accept the award on December 10th in Norway?
Ebadi: I don’t think so. I think it is easy to come to Tehran and then come to Oslo for the prize.
CNN: One would hope. Let me ask you one last question. You are soon going to be a very rich woman; the Nobel prize of-course comes with 1.3m dollars. Have you thought about that in the last few hours?
Ebadi: Only today I heard this news. I’m in shock and then I must think and then tell you. But I think I must continue my work in Human rights and it needs some money.
CNN: Fair enough. Shirin Ebadi, Laureate of the 2003 Nobel Prize for Peace, our congratulations and our thanks.
Ebadi: Thanks.
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Tune in for next week’s episode to find out how Shirin splashes that cash. Will she blow all her moola or will it be the other way round?
Next month we have a special feature on fish rights (not fishing rights, the other way round), and of-course, the concerns of sea-bound mammals.
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Copyright of interview transcript: CNN