Nobel laureate urges radical reforms in Iran

[democratic]

http://home.eircom.net/content/reuters/worldnews/1649217?view=Eircomnet


PARIS (Reuters) - Iran's Islamic Republic cannot continue if it fails to evolve and heed the people's desire for major reform, new Nobel Peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has said.

Iran's first holder of the prestigious award told the French daily Le Monde the honour would encourage human rights activists in her homeland, but denied the award was a political gesture by the Norwegian judges.

"If it doesn't evolve, the Islamic Republic cannot continue," Ebadi said. "Not only in government, but also in the country, we want reforms pursued in a serious and radical way.

"My stand is not against Islam. Currently, there are major ayatollahs who are in favour of the separation of the state from religion," she added.

Advocating secularism is illegal in Iran.

Iran's conservatives have portrayed Ebadi's award as the Nobel committee pandering to the West's political agenda, while Iranian reformers have hailed it as a catalyst for change.

Ebadi said the time for revolutions was over, but Iranians wanted reform of civil, political, economic and social rights, because they "are profoundly disappointed by the Islamic revolution."