IRAN: Tehran fires back at Norway over Shirin Ebadi, who fires a volley of her own

The spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast, urged Norway to keep quiet about the fate of Shirin Ebadi's estate, including a Nobel Peace Prize medal that authorities allegedly swiped from her safe deposit box.

"We are surprised that the Norwegian officials have acted without studying the situation and making a hasty judgment," he told the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency. "They have violated laws that are respected by all and adopted a biased attitude." 

But Ebadi herself, speaking from London, had some choice words for authorities in her home country, accusing them of lying. 

Norway administers the Nobel Peace Prize and has voiced outrage over the allegations, summoning Iran's envoy to Oslo for a meeting. In return, Iran's foreign ministry summoned Norway's ambassador to Tehran, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Ebadi, Mehmanparast said, had violated tax laws. That's why authorities had seized her assets, he said.

"We do not understand how the Norwegian officials can be indifferent towards tax laws of countries and the multi-staged instances of tax avoidance by individuals," he said. "How can they adopt peculiar positions and question the legal apparatus of sovereign nations?"

Iran says Ebadi owes $400,000 in back taxes off the $1.3 million she won as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. But Ebadi accused Iranian authorities of playing loose with the facts. 

"They are not telling the truth," she told BBC World Service radio, according to an Agence France Presse report. 

Not only did they swipe her Nobel Peace Prize, they froze bank accounts and retirement payments for both her and her husband. They also took her French Legion d'Honneur award.

According to Ebadi, Iranian tax laws don't require taxes on payments for awards. 

"Besides, the order to seize our bank accounts should have come from the tax authorities and the order to seize the box came from the Revolutionary Court," she said.

-- Borzou Daragahi in Beirut

Photo: A June 19 photo shows Shirin Ebadi in Geneva. Credit: Fabrice Coffrini AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[biggato]

If Obama's not using his prize, he could donate it to her...someone who really cares about democracy

[selim]

Iran regime Shirin Ebadi can not tolerate

please read:
(please sign,Please Support)

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-zeynab-jalalian.html

please watching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ0cZeH3O5w

"""""Dear Human right organisations

My name is Ms Zeinab Jalalian (زینب جلالیان)

I am 27 years old Kurdish female ,political prisoner, in Iran prison.

My Death sentenced was confirmed by Iranian Supreme Court.

I am currently ill ,because of torture and I don’t have any lawyer to defend me. i want to tell you that . trial took only few minute.

Court told me: “You are a God's enemies. Have to be hanged very soon” That was all my court process

I asked judge to give me permission to say good bye, to my mother and family,

Before execution, he told me "shut up" and rejected.

Zeinab Jalalian (زینب جلالیان)

26/11/2009 """"

[Joe]

Dynomite:D
I hear "Pol Pot" from Cambodia left a foundation to give "pot" awards to exceptional people, I want one :-)

[Michael]

As a Peace Prize colleague of Ebadi, President Obama ought to swiftly condemn this utterly shameless despicable behaviour of the government of Iran.