Iranian Nobel Laureate Threatened, Harassed

Iranian human rights advocate and lawyer Shirin Ebadi said she has been receiving death threats, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.

Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 and who is currently outside of Iran, told RFE/RL that Iranian security agents have warned her husband that she "is not safe no matter where in the world she is."

She added that the authorities have blocked her bank accounts and her pension and have confiscated her Nobel medal, her French Legion of Honor medal, and several other honors she has been awarded for her work.

Ebadi said she believes the threats and harassment are an attempt to intimidate her because of her human rights advocacy.

She added that she has been similarly threatened in the past.

Ebadi has been critical of the crackdown in Iran since the presidential election in July and has called on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to visit Iran and investigate human rights abuses.