IRAN'S HOPE

Ausma Khan and Nader Hashemi write: The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi sends a message both to the old guard within Muslim societies who resist democratic reform and to the neoconservatives in Washington who support forceful regime change in the Muslim world: The path to change is best led by indigenous activists committed to democracy, human rights and nonviolence. Ebadi advocates a new interpretation of Islamic law exemplified by all citizens' equality before the law, religious freedom and freedom of speech. She has fought tirelessly, at great personal risk, for children's, women's and prisoners' rights. She represented the families of intellectuals and writers murdered in 1998-99 and worked to expose those responsible for the death of student activists in 1999. By drawing international attention to the movement for human rights and democracy in Iran, Ebadi's award will make it harder for the clerical establishment to repress that struggle--and harder for the Bush Administration to ignore Iranians' efforts to achieve regime change on their own.

THE RON RIDENHOUR AWARDS

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