Mehrangiz Kar
Encyclopedia
Mehrangiz Kar is a prominent Iranian lawyer, human right activist and author of the book Crossing the Red Line, as well as many articles.
Mehrangiz Kar is a celebrated activist of women's rights
in Iran.
Mehangiz Kar was a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University
and in the 2005/06 academic year was based at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
She has also been recognized as a Scholar at Risk through an international network of universities and colleges working to promote academic freedom and to defend the human rights of scholars worldwide.
In 2002, the U.S. First Lady, Laura Bush
, gave her the National Endowment for Democracy
's Democracy award.
She is the widow of Siamak Pourzand
, a fellow Iranian dissident and former prisoner of conscience
who committed suicide on 29 April 2011, after a long period of torture and imprisonment.
Mehrangiz Kar is a celebrated activist of women's rights
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
in Iran.
Mehangiz Kar was a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and in the 2005/06 academic year was based at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
She has also been recognized as a Scholar at Risk through an international network of universities and colleges working to promote academic freedom and to defend the human rights of scholars worldwide.
In 2002, the U.S. First Lady, Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, gave her the National Endowment for Democracy
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
's Democracy award.
She is the widow of Siamak Pourzand
Siamak Pourzand
Siamak Pourzand was an Iranian journalist and film critic. He was the manager of the Majmue-ye Farrhangi-ye Honari-ye Tehran—a cultural center for writers, artists, and intellectuals—and wrote cultural commentary for several reformist newspapers later shut down by the Iranian government...
, a fellow Iranian dissident and former prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
who committed suicide on 29 April 2011, after a long period of torture and imprisonment.
Awards and honours
- 2004 Recipient of the annual Human Rights FirstHuman Rights FirstHuman Rights First is a nonprofit, nonpartisan human rights organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C....
(formerly Lawyers Committee For Human Rights) Human Rights Award - 2002 Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights PrizeLudovic-Trarieux International Human Rights PrizeThe Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize, or Ludovic-Trarieux Award, is an international human rights award given annually to a lawyer for contributions to the defence of human rights.-History:...
(France) for a lawyer working to promote women’s human rights, awarded jointly by the Human Rights Institute of the Bar of Bordeaux and the European Lawyers Union. - 2002 Democracy Award of the National Endowment for DemocracyNational Endowment for DemocracyThe National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
(U.S.), for advancing human rights and democracy. - 2002 Hellman/Hammett Grant from Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
(International) for a writer who is a target of political persecution. - 2001 Vasyl Stus Freedom-to-Write Award of PEN New England (Massachusetts, U.S.), for a writer who has struggled in the face of oppression and brutality to make her voice heard.
- 2000 PEN/NOVIB Award of PEN Clube (Netherlands), for writers who have lost their liberty for political and ideological reasons.
- 2000 Donna Dell’anno Award of the Conseil De Lavallee Consiglio Regionale Della Valle D’aosta (Italy), for persevering in the fight for freedom and the defense of women’s rights.
- 2000 Latifeh Yarshater Award of the Society for Iranian Studies (U.S.), for the best book on Iranian women.
- 1975 Forough Faroukhzad Award (Iran), for best article.
See also
- Shirin EbadiShirin EbadiShirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
- Bibi Khatoon AstarabadiBibi Khatoon AstarabadiBibi Khānoom Astarābādi was a notable Iranian writer, satirist, and one of the pioneering figures in the women's movement of Iran....
- Iranian womenIranian womenIranian women in this article refers to women of, or from, traditional Persian or modern Iranian culture.-Depictions and appearance:...
- List of famous Persian women