Shirin Ebadi Quotes

The idea of cultural relativism is nothing but an excuse to violate human rights.

It's not just about hope and ideas. It's about action.

Lawyers have a dangerous job in Iran.

Human rights is a universal standard. It is a component of every religion and every civilization.

Women are the victims of this patriarchal culture, but they are also its carriers. Let us keep in mind that every oppressive man was raised in the confines of his mother's home.

I maintain that nothing useful and lasting can emerge from violence.

How can you defy fear? Fear is a human instinct, just like hunger. Whether you like it or not, you become hungry. Similarly with fear. But I have learned to train myself to live with this fear.

If you can't eliminate injustice, at least tell everyone about it.

When a person is humiliated, when his rights are being violated, and he does not have the proper education, naturally he gravitates toward terrorism.

We must not enable anyone to impose his personal view regarding religion on others by force, oppression, or pressure.

When you vote, vote for those who are not warmongers, and vote for those who respect human rights. When you see a president who doesn't respect human rights, don't vote for that person.

North Americans do not understand that you do not throw down human rights like bombs on the Iraqis.

There is a verse [in the Koran] that says God swears by time. Anything you gain in life, you pay for with your time. Time is the most important thing that has been given to man.

People are fundamentally good. But conditions deteriorate them.

When more and more people want something, it becomes easier to achieve that goal.

What is important is that one utilizes one's intellect and not to be 100 percent sure about one's convictions. One should always leave room for doubt.

There is no "true Islam," just different interpretations.

My aim is to show that those governments that violate the rights of people by invoking the name of Islam have been misusing Islam.

I have said many times that I wish there was no oil in the Middle East, and more water. People would have been much happier than they are right now.

I have never had a governmental position, and I will never accept such a position.

I am the voice of the people in Iran whose voices are silent and whose demands cannot be heard by the rest of the world.

Over 60 percent of the university students in Iran are female. The women in Iran are better educated than men.

Democracy doesn't recognize east or west; democracy is simply people's will. Therefore, I do not acknowledge that there are various models of democracy; there is just democracy itself.

The people are fed up with corruption and embezzlement. They object to censorship. The first thing that the people of Iran want is free elections.

The Iranian government intends to use the nuclear program for peaceful purposes, but must convince international public opinion of that.

No American soldier should be allowed to set foot on Iranian soil, regardless of the criticism we have of the Iranian government.

I hope the example of Saddam Hussein will give a lesson to leaders of other countries where human rights are not respected.

While living in exile I have become the loudspeaker for the people of Iran.

Lawyers should not be charged with the same crimes as their clients. Trials related to political charges are not in accordance with human rights.

Fear is a human instinct, just like hunger. Whether you like it or not, you become hungry. Similarly with fear. But I have learned to train myself to live with the fear.

Any person who pursues human rights in Iran must live with fear from birth to death, but I have learned to overcome my fear.

We must acquaint the youth to the realities of the world... we must tell them that millions of people around the world have no access to drinking water.

I have never been convinced throughout my life that one needs to be imitating others. I even tell my daughters not to look at me as a model.

Human rights is the fruit of various civilizations.

Maybe the words are the same, but the time is not the same. Iranians weren't working on achieving nuclear energy.

Every time I am fearful I think to myself, the reason they do this is to discourage me from doing what I do. Hence, if I discontinue my work I will have succumbed to my fears.

Certainly, the fight against terrorism is a legitimate fight. And certainly whoever commits terrorism should be brought to justice.

Terrorism is based on two major pillars: One is injustice, and the other is a certainty of attitude, the notion that their version of the story is the correct one.

I have never agreed with President Bush's argument regarding the axis of evil. Unfortunately, fundamentalists in Iran have used this as an excuse to brand us as allies of Mr. Bush.

Everyone's condition is different, and the way that each person lives his or her life is different.

The role of Iran has been very destructive. As an Iranian, I apologize to the civilian people of Syria who have been killed as a result of the useless intervention of Iran in Syria.

Iran is a rich country, and if the people of this country are poor, it's because of the wrong policies of the government.

Sadly the job security of lawyers has been ruined, so they are less willing to defend political defendants.

No government can make me wear a veil, no government can force me not to wear it either

Islam is not an excuse for thwarting democracy.

Because of our youthful population, we suffer from unemployment in Iran. We need more universities and more job opportunities for the young.

The government of Iran claims that every two years there are elections. But none of them are free.

Akbar Ganji is a human rights activist in Iran and he works on freedom of expression and he does his job very well.

The history and our experience shows that Democrats and Republicans think the same way in some cases, and their ideas aren't very different when it comes to international relations.

If you study the behavior or the attitude of Syria, Iran, and U.S., you understand that these three countries can't come to terms with each other.