Ebadi Criticizes Rohani's Rights Record

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi has criticized the human rights record of President Hassan Rohani.

Speaking to the AP news agency, Ebadi highlighted a rise in executions since Rohani took office this year and accused the government of lying about the release of political prisoners.

She also pointed to spreading support for a hunger strike by human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani and three others in a Tehran prison to protest inadequate medical care.

On November 4, around 80 prisoners at another prison west of the capital joined the strike.

Ebadi said Rohani may have a reputation as a moderate reformer but so far the new government was sending "bad signals" on human rights.

Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts to promote democracy.

She has lived outside Iran since 2009.


Based on reporting by AP