Iranian Woman Publisher Receives Freedom Prize

It sounds like a double-dare challenge from Fear Factor: open a feminist publishing house in Tehran. Yeah, buddy, good luck! But that's exactly what intrepid women's rights advocate Shahla Lahiji did, and despite facing some nasty backlash from the good ol' mullahocracy, she is going strong.

In recognition of Lahiji's work, the International Publishers Association last week bestowed its 2006 Freedom Prize (€3000) upon the Tehrani publisher.

It sure hasn't been easy for Lahiji. In 2000, se was jailed on charges of "acting against national security" for giving a speech at a cultural conference in Berlin on Iranian political reform. Held in the oh-so lovely Evin Prison, she was at first sentenced to three years and six months in jail. To add insult to injury, in 2005, her publishing house was fire-bombed by unknown assailants, resulting in the destruction of many manuscripts.

To get a sense of this spunky publisher, check out this interview she gave to Bad Jens (no, not Bad Jeans!), an "Iranian Feminist Newsletter":

MS: You also run a women’s studies center.
            
SL: We conduct research on a given issue, and then possibly publish the work. But we are not a research organization which has members, holds meetings, and does further research. I can hold meetings, but within my publishing responsibilities.            

MS: You also tried to found an NGO.
            
SL: Yes. But due to the government’s sensitivities regarding women’s issues, it’s not really possible.  And for me, who is known as a feminist activist, I’m sure there are even more obstacles.  But what was important was establishing a place that helped women do research on women’s issues...

MS: Have you written books that were not approved by the Ministry of Culture? 
            
SL: No, I don’t write books that I know will not be approved.If so, I wait until I know they will be given permission.
            
MS: What kind of issues is the Ministry of Culture a little sensitive to?
         
SL: [laughs] It’s not a little sensitive, it’s very sensitive. You see, there are no clear standards, it’s up to the individual discretion of the person reading the book.  For example, they’ll say, this book is too feminist...

MS: Let’s get to the Berlin Conference. At what point did you sense how serious things had become?
            
SL: Well, they warned us not to return.  But we never considered not returning, not for a second.  Because we thought that whatever was going to happen, we would have to face it. We were accountable for what we said (putting aside the way the conference was managed and handled). The things that I said in Berlin were things that I had already said here, over and over again. I believe in them.  So I returned, and I’m now waiting to see what will happen.
            
MS: Your trial is over, and you’re waiting for your sentencing.
            
SL: Mehrangiz Kar’s trial is over, and so is mine. It was a closed-door trial, and we were the only ones that were tried in this manner:  just us two, the judge, and the public prosecutor.  There  was not one newspaper that addressed this exceptional state of  affairs.  Even though the judge - in violation of the rules  and regulations — went on TV the next day, to express his  opinion on the trial. But we maintained respect for the procedure,  although it was closed-door, and didn’t say a word about  it publicly. We committed no violations, but the judge did.

MS: Who are your supporters?
            
SL: Ordinary people, people who don’t belong to any political  party or faction.  There’s no centralization of this  support, it’s scattered.  We can’t organize gatherings,  even small ones, because there’s a possibility they’d  come under attack.
            
MS: And they won’t be organized any time soon?
            
SL: In my opinion, when the people feel there’s a need, they  will.  And if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s because  they haven’t made that step. One can’t make that step  for them.

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. In 2000, se was jailed on charges of "acting against national security" for giving a speech at a cultural conference in Berlin on Iranian political reform. Held in the oh-so lovely Evin Prison, she was at first sentenced to three years and six months in jail. To add insult to injury, in 2005, her publishing house was fire-bombed by unknown assailants, resulting in the destruction of many manuscripts.

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