Until We Are Free: My Fight for Human Rights in Iran

by Shirin Ebadi

The first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, Shirin Ebadi has inspired millions around the globe through her work as a human rights lawyer defending women and children against a brutal regime in Iran. Now Ebadi tells her story of courage and defiance in the face of a government out to destroy her, her family, and her to bring justice to the people and the country she loves.

For years the Islamic Republic tried to intimidate Ebadi, but after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rose to power in 2005, the censorship and persecution intensified. The government wiretapped Ebadi’s phones, bugged her law firm, sent spies to follow her, harassed her colleagues, detained her daughter, and arrested her sister on trumped-up charges. It shut down her lectures, fired up mobs to attack her home, seized her offices, and nailed a death threat to her front door. Despite finding herself living under circumstances reminiscent of a spy novel, nothing could keep Ebadi from speaking out and standing up for human dignity.

But it was not until she received a phone call from her distraught husband—and he made a shocking confession that would all but destroy her family—that she realized what the intelligence apparatus was capable of to silence its critics. The Iranian government would end up taking everything from Shirin Ebadi—her marriage, friends, and colleagues, her home, her legal career, even her Nobel Prize—but the one thing it could never steal was her spirit to fight for justice and a better future. This is the amazing, at times harrowing, simply astonishing story of a woman who would never give up, no matter the risks. Just as her words and deeds have inspired a nation, Until We Are Free will inspire you to find the courage to stand up for your beliefs.

Advance praise for Until We Are Free

“Shirin Ebadi is quite simply the most vital voice for freedom and human rights in Iran.”—Reza Aslan, author of No god but God and Zealot

“Shirin Ebadi writes of exile hauntingly and speaks of Iran, her homeland, as the poets do. Ebadi is unafraid of addressing the personal as well as the political and does both fiercely, with introspection and fire.”—Fatima Bhutto, author of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon

“I would encourage all to read Dr. Shirin Ebadi’s memoir and to understand how her struggle for human rights continued after winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It is also fascinating to see how she has been affected positively and negatively by her Nobel Prize. This is a must read for all.”—Desmond Tutu

“A revealing portrait of the state of political oppression in Iran . . . [Ebadi] is an inspiring figure, and her suspenseful, evocative story is unforgettable.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Ebadi’s courage and strength of character are evident throughout this engrossing text, which illuminates the power the few have had over the many, particularly the women and children of Iran. The captivating and candid story of a woman who took on the Iranian government and survived, despite every attempt to make her fail.” —Kirkus Reviews


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Nonfiction, Iran, Memoir, Politics, Feminism, Middle East, Biography

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2016

About the author

Shirin Ebadi (Persian: شیرین عبادی) is an Iranian lawyer, writer, teacher, former judge, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose work has shaped global conversations about human rights, especially the rights of women, children, and refugees. Raised in an educated family in Tehran, she pursued law at the University of Tehran and became one of the first female judges in Iran, eventually leading the Tehran city court before being removed from the judiciary after the 1979 Revolution. Unable to practice law for years, she used that time to write influential books and articles and later built a legal career defined by principled advocacy. Her cases often centered on political dissidents, victims of state violence, and vulnerable children, including families targeted during the chain murders of intellectuals and the students harmed in the 1999 protests. Her pro bono work exposed systemic contradictions in custody laws, criminal procedure, and the treatment of minors, bringing international attention to issues that the Iranian courts preferred to keep hidden. She also represented clients in high-profile political cases, including those involving banned publications, activists, and families of murdered or imprisoned dissidents. Ebadi helped found key civil society institutions such as the Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child and the Defenders of Human Rights Center, playing a central role in shaping Iran’s emerging human-rights movement. In her writings, she has argued that Islam can coexist with democracy and gender equality, insisting that restrictive interpretations serve political power rather than religious principle. Her political views combine deep Iranian nationalism with strong criticism of both domestic authoritarianism and Western policies, and she has often spoken out against foreign intervention. Her Nobel Peace Prize recognized her role as a courageous advocate for democratic reform and human dignity, and after receiving it she expanded her international work through lectures, books, and global initiatives, including co-founding the Nobel Women’s Initiative. Her prize also intensified pressure from Iranian authorities, leading to harassment, threats, and the seizure of her belongings, which pushed her into exile in London. From abroad she has continued to defend prisoners of conscience, support campaigns for women’s rights, and call for democratic reforms. Her later statements have emphasized that Iran’s political system cannot be reformed without broad structural change, and she has urged the global community to support peaceful movements inside the country. Ebadi remains a prominent voice in international human rights law, contributing to global discussions on justice, nonviolence, and the protection of vulnerable communities.

Reviews

[Pakinam Mahmoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

"ربّما لا يستطيع أحدٌ يوماً بلوغ الشمس، لكن علينا ألّا ننسى أنّها موجودةٌ في السماء.."

إلي أن نصبح أحراراً..الكتاب الثاني للمحامية الإيرانية شيرين عبادي التي تعتبر أول امرأة مسلمة تفوز بجائزة نوبل للسلام لنضالها من أجل حقوق الإنسان في إيران و هذا الكتاب يعتبر تكملة للكتاب الأول 'إيران تستيقظ'..

هدف الكاتبة من الكتاب هو تقديم شهادة على ما عاناه الشعب الإيراني تحت حكم أحمدي نجاد الذي تولي حكم إيران لمدة ٨ سنوات وأعاد تشكيل المدينة لتتواءم مع رؤيته المتطرّفة للعالم..
أحمدي نجاد الذي كان محافظاً على الصعيد الديني و مهووساً بصبغ الحياة اليومية بصبغةٍ دينيةٍ مخالفاً بذلك رغبات غالبية الإيرانيين..وكان أيضاً متشدداً علي الصعيد السياسي وألقي إيران في مسار تصادمي مع الغرب بسبب برنامجه النووي...

ألقت الكاتبة الضوء علي ما عاني منه الإيرانيون من قمع في فترة حكمه الكارثية سواء من الرقابة المتزايدة، شرطة الآداب،تعرض عددٌ لا يحصى من الإيرانيين للإعدام ،السجن والتعذيب وكيف فُرض المنفى الدائم على آلاف الصحافيين والأكاديميين والناشطين ...

وزي ما الكاتبة إتكلمت عن انجازتها الشخصية في مجال عملها إتكلمت أيضاً علي تأثير الدولة البوليسية علي حياتها وحياة المقربين منها و إزاي كانت السبب الرئيسي في تشتت عائلتها و إنتقالها إلي لندن مما أدي في النهاية إلي إنفصالها عن زوجها بعد زواج دام ٣٧ عاماً...

الكتاب مقسم الي ٢٠ فصل و قراءته كانت سلسة جداً ...الترجمة كمان كانت ممتازة ...
يعيب الكتاب إن الاسلوب جاف شوية و مش حتحس بمشاعر الكاتبة إلا في صفحات قليلة وكإنها كاتبة تقرير صحفي..هو طبعاً كتاب مش رواية بس كنت أتمني نري جوانب إنسانية أكتر في الكتاب...

إنك تدافع عن مبادئك شئ صعب جداً خصوصا في دولة قمعية مثل إيران...وده يدل قد ايه شيرين عبادي سيدة قوية فوق ما نتخيل..
بس هل يا تري مين المفروض يأتي أولاً؟
عائلتك ...أم الدفاع عن معتقداتك؟
سؤال صعب بس شيرين عبادي عرفت تجاوب عليه و أختارت طريقها بكامل إرادتها...
كم إنتِ قوية و شجاعة خانم شيرين..😍

[آلاء · Rating 4 out of 5]

فقرة أولى غير مهمة: بالرغم من إني من بداية السنة وتحديدا بعد ما بدأنا في مشروع التخرج، كنت مقررة إني مش عايزة أقرأ اي حاجة تخص إيران (بعيد عن الدراسة) لحد ما أخلص السنة، ولكن تجري الرياح بما لا تشتهي خطة القراءة وبما أني أخيرا لقيت الجزء الثاني من كتاب السيرة الذاتية للحقوقية الإيرانية العزيزة شيرين عبادي، واللي كان غريب بالنسبالي اني استمتعت أكتر بالسيرة بعد اللي قريته خلال الدراسة وكنت فاهمة اكتر وهي بتتكلم عن النظام السياسي الإيراني وعن أسماء شخصيات بعينها فمكنش قرار سيء للدرجة إني أفضل في المناخ الإيراني الخانق ده..

الجانب السلبي هو إني قريتها مع القوقعة فلما كانت شيرين بتتكلم عن الانتهاكات في السجون الإيرانية مقدرتش أتوحد معاها بشكل كامل بسبب بشاعة السجون السورية ولكن ده لا يقلل من التجربة، وانتهاك حقوق الإنسان، وجرائم القتل اللي تسبب فيها النظام الإيراني للمواطنين السلميين، وانما هو فقط شعور انتابني بسبب تزامن تجربتي القراءة..

طبعاً الأحداث محزنة ومؤسفة بما أنها بتحكي واقع معاش، وده كان متوقع يعني.. انتهى الكتاب بدون أي تحسن في الأحوال وانتهى وشيرين محرومة من الرجوع لبلدها وأهلها وبسرقة الحكومة لبيتها ومالها وتفريقها عن زوجها، انتهى وأصدقائها في السجن أو القبور، ولكن انتهى وهي لسة عندها أمل بمستقبل حر لإيران.

هتفضل شيرين من أجمل الستات الملهمات اللي قرأت عنهم، وفي اتفاقي معاها في كتير واختلافي معاها في الأكثر..

هي ست تستحق إشادة وتقدير لأنها مستعدة تدافع عن أشد الناس اختلافا عن أفكارها وعقيدتها ومذهبها فقط لأنهم تعرضوا لظلم أو قمع.. عنيدة في الحق وخسرت كتير في مقابل حرية رأيها واحترامها لمبادئها بشكل مؤثر لأبعد مدى.

الخميس ١٢ مايو ٢٠٢٢ ♥️📚

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is candidate election time here in the USA and one from each party will be our next president. If there is only one thing, and there was in fact many more, that this book highlighted, it was the importance of the government leader. This amazing woman won the Nobel prize for peace in Iran and her life changed with his subsequent leader. Once a judge, she was basically forced out and started her own group as a legal advisor for those who could not get justice under Iran's constantly changing legal system.

I often think of the randomness of where we were born, our race, what country we live in. How lucky I am to be here and not there. But, this remarkable woman loves her country, her people and continues to fight despite threats to herself, her husband, her daughters. Many left, she stayed because leaving would be giving up. This is am very candid story, personal and professional, and provides a look inside Iran, the corruption, religious views, the fears and the small victories. I found it quite eye opening.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 high stars. I think of myself as somewhat aware of what’s going on in the world, but reading Until We Are Free makes me think that I might be deluding myself and that I have so much to learn and understand. I had never heard of the author Sherin Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace prize in 2003. And I really did not know much beyond a fairly superficial understanding of life and politics in Iran. Until We Are Free is a memoir of Ebadi’s recent years. By immersing myself in this powerful book, I feel that I have discovered an extraordinary individual and learned about yet another country rife with brutality and human rights abuses. Ebadi was a judge in Iran in the 1970s up until the Iranian revolution in 1979. After the revolution, she was no longer allowed to be a judge and it was not until 1993 that she was permitted to work as a lawyer. In that role, she has been an outspoken activist in the areas of human rights and democratic rights – working for the rights of individuals in Iran and being outspoken on the international stage -- leading to her Novel prize in 2003. In 2009, she left Iran because it became too unsafe for her to continue to be an outspoken activist within Iran. Her memoir starts in the mid 2000s and goes up to 2014. It is a very forceful and candid account of her beliefs and commitment, and the toll that her work and prominence have had on her and her family. While in Iran, her ability to do her work was increasingly eroded, she and her family were under constant surveillance and she received many threats to her safety and life. After leaving Iran in 2009, the government tried to use Ebadi’s husband and sister – who both remained in Iran – to pressure her into not speaking out in the public forum. The description of what happened to her husband is particularly heartbreaking. Despite the difficult subject matter, this is a very readable book. Ebadi provides a tremendous amount of helpful historical and political background to give context to her own story. This is a very moving book. Ebadi is very forthright about her own story, and the impact her choices have had on her family. This is a book that does not give much hope, with exception of Ebadi herself and others who despite tremendous odds and adversarial conditions continue to struggle for what is right and important. This book was eye opening and powerful – it was well worth the read. Thank you to the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I hid all my review, as I felt it was too boring, but kind comments from Goodreads' friends have now persuaded me to make it public.....

Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian who is hugely committed to human rights. These have been badly abused since her country has been under the ultimate control of an Islamic supreme leader, and Sharia law has gained a strong foothold.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme...

There are elections in Iran, and presidents are elected, but these have got more and more skewed. In recent times all the candidates for the elections have been chosen by the supreme leader and his cohorts, and they have the ultimate control in guiding the country's policies.

Ebadi was originally a judge, but was reduced to the role of cleric when under Sharia law it was said that women could not be judges. She then worked for people who were being persecuted by the state for their political views.

In 2003 she won the Nobel Peace Prize for "her efforts for democracy and human rights." (Typically, the Iranian government forbade the state radio and TV stations to mention it. ) With the money she got from the prize she purchased an apartment to act as headquarters for "The Defenders of Human Rights Centre" - an organisation she had founded of Iranian lawyers, which defended political prisoners and promoted legal and human rights.

Meanwhile, Western films and music were banned, and the internet was filtered so that only certain topics could get through.

Ebadi and her husband Javad, were endlessly harassed. Their phones were tapped. Vigilante and militia groups threatened them outside their apartment. Her offices were raided by intelligence agents on several occasions, and documents taken away. Three of her secretaries were bullied by intelligence agents into quitting. In the end she worked with a secretary abroad, in Washington, as it was too dangerous for Iranians to work for her in this role. Her husband spent three weeks in prison in 2000 on some pretext. He was nevertheless very supportive of her work.

Another important issue for Ebadi was landmines. Iran has the second highest level of landmines in the world, a legacy of its war with Iraq. The government minimises the severity of the problem. Ebadi set up "The Mine Clearing Collaboration Association" and part of its remit was to make the landmine situation more public.

Ebadi did quite a lot of travelling abroad, and in 2009 she and her family decided it was too dangerous for her to go back to Iran, and so she took exile in Britain. Luckily her two daughters were already studying abroad, so were out of Iran. She continued endlessly to campaign for the rights of Iranian citizens, and to alert the world to the wrongdoings of the Iranian government.

The government was furious at her activities. Her sister was taken off at midnight and imprisoned in solitary confinement for 3 weeks. Her husband was endless harassed. He tried to leave Iran but was unable to do so because his passport was taken and then despoiled. He lost his job. They made him speak against Ebadi on television, saying that she had abused him. (Apparently this was quite a common practise, to force people to publicly harangue their loved ones.) In the end they set up a honey trap. They got a women he had once had an affair with to pretend she was interested in a liaison, and then intelligence officers broke in and charged him with adultery (an offence under Sharia law.)

Normally I would not have much sympathy for someone who was in this situation, but by now Javid was a completely broken man, and I felt extremely sorry for him. For the most part he had been a loving and supportive husband, but he was reduced to rubble by the antics of the government. In the end he and his Ebadi got divorced in 2013.

The government said they were going to tax the money that Ebadi had got from the Nobel Prize. A colleague of hers tried to argue with this on legal grounds, and was sentenced to six years imprisonment as a result. The colleague was also barred from practising law or leaving the country for 20 years. As matters stand, two of Ebadi's three houses have been sold by the government, but she is still in debt to the authorities for these unpaid taxes.

Ebadi was showing strong signs of stress due to all of this. Besides the obvious emotional toll she also lost her eyebrows. She nevertheless continued passionately with her campaigning.

Interestingly, although Ebadi talks about Islamic issues affecting women, Iran seems to be a place where (so far) things are not too bad for them. Violence against women is much less than it is in surrounding countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Literacy amongst Iranian girls and young women is nearly 99%, and women make up over 60% of all university students. They are also part of the workplace.

Nevertheless, anyone who questions or opposes the government is treated mercilessly and without recourse to proper laws and legal treatment, and these are the people that Ebadi has always sought to help.

She describes the political situation thus...

"The regime's hard liners are a social minority today, and though society itself has bounded ahead, those representing the extremist minority are tragically in control. And like all dictators they are clinging to power with vicious violence."

She speaks interestingly of the political situation abroad too...

"Iran, as the only country with an overwhelming Sharia majority, seeks to assert itself as the leading Sharia power in the world, to cultivate Sharias in other countries, and to encourage them to rise up against their rulers. This ambition underpins Iran's involvement in the Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. Iran's behaviour has deeply alarmed Saudi Arabia, which sees itself as the Sunni opposing pole in the region. The two countries' rivalry will continue to destabilize the region."

All in all, the picture she paints of today's Iranian government is pretty black. It was particularly relevant to read this now, whilst we have been hearing about people protesting in Iran.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/30/wor...

I found that this book worked very well on two levels, firstly giving some fascinating insights into Iran, and secondly giving insights into Ebadi, as the extraordinary woman that she is.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ebadi opens her 2016 memoir and narrative with a story about her work as a human rights lawyer in the early 2000s defending children and teens who are imprisoned and (sometimes) executed by the state for "crimes" they may or may not have committed. Opening the book with this gravitas sets the tone - serious, life-altering, and dangerous work. She briefly retraces the shifts and changes in her own career after the 1979 Revolution / overthrow of the Shah, and the shift to sharia law in her country. As a woman, she was no longer allowed to hold court as a judge, but continues her work as a pro bono attorney fighting for women and children's rights.

Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, making her the first Muslim woman and first Iranian to receive this honor.

She describes the increased state surveillance after the Nobel Prize ceremony, the threats to her and her family, and further resistance and activism against the administration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the mid/late 2000s.

Told in chapter narratives/essays, this book offers insight into Iranian politics, human rights abuses, as well as the role of women in Iranian society. Ebadi continues this work in exile.

[Mohamed Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

عندما وضبت شيرين عبادي حقيبتها للسفر إلى أوروبا في عام ٢٠٠٩ لحضور مؤتمر ما، لم يدر في خلدها بأن تذكرتها ستكون بدون عودة لطهران، لذلك لم تهتم كثيرًا بما ستحمله معها من أمتعة، ولو أنها أدركت بأنها لن تعود مجددًا لإيران لربما ملأت حقيبتها بتراب من البستان الذي زرعت أشجاره شجرة شجرة (ودفعها النظام لبيعه لاحقًا)، عوضًا عن القمصان والأحذية وأدوات الزينة.

شيرين عبادي، التي كانت تشغل منصب قاضية قبل أن يستولي نظام الملالي على السلطة في الثمانينيات ويحولها إلى مجرد كاتبة، لم تتخيل في أسوأ كوابيسها بأنها لن ترى بلدها مرة أخرى، وهي التي رفضت أن تغادره في أحلك أوقاته كما فعل الكثير من أصدقائها ومعارفها، وظلت تحارب النظام على طريقتها من خلال الدفاع عن السجناء السياسيين .. وبدون مقابل.

ولأن المصائب لا تأتي فرادى، فإن النظام القذر في إيران، كأي نظام قذر في أي مكان، بعد أن تبين له بأن الضجة التي تثيرها شيرين عبادي، الحاصلة على جائزة نوبل للسلام، في الخارج أكثر مما يمكنه احتماله، لم يكتف بوصفها "خائنة، ومتآمرة على الدولة، وعميلة لدول أجنبية"، بل قام بمضايقة زوجها وشقيقتها وصديقاتها، فالنظام يتبع قاعدة الشر يعم والخير يخص، وما تفعله شيرين بالنسبة لهذا النظام شر وبالتالي فإن العقاب يجب أن يشمل كل ما ومن له صلة بها.

في نهاية الكتاب، الذي صدر في عام ٢٠١٦ ، تعترف شيرين عبادي بأنها متشائمة من مستقبل النظام، وفعلاً كان تشاؤمها في محله فقد ازدادت شراسة ووحشية النظام منذ ذلك الوقت وحول حياة الإيرانيين إلى جحيم أكثر بشاعة وبؤسًا ممّا مضى.

ولكن عزاء كل إيراني، وكل عربي في هذه المنطقة التي عاث فيها النظام الإيراني فسادًا وإفسادًا، بأن الإيرانيين الشرفاء سيستمرون في إزعاج النظام بأصواتهم إلى الأبد و .. إلى أن يصبحوا أحراراً.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Shirin Ebadi became Iran’s first female judge in 1975 in Tehran. Following the Iranian revolution in 1979, she was demoted and assigned to a secretarial post. She eventually became a defender of human rights for those persecuted by the government, setting up her own Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran. In 2003 she was awarded the Nobel Prize for her efforts on behalf of democracy and human rights. This book, written in exile from Iran, is a personal story recounting how the Iranian government reacted to her Nobel win since 2003.

Ebadi says several times in this narrative that she is not an opponent of the state: she is a defender of human rights. She wonders “how Iran’s history might have unfolded differently had Mossadegh not been tripped up by the United States just as he sought to move the country down the path of true independence.” When Ebadi was a law student in the 1960’s, her classes studied the key principles of Islamic sharia, despite the secular government at that time. Ebadi’s daughter, also a law student many years later, learned less than a third of what Ebadi had studied with regard to sharia law, despite the religious nature of the leadership. Ebadi thinks this might be because “well-trained and erudite students would be equipped to argue for fresher and more modern angles and approaches to Islamic law.”

Constant surveillance and persistent attempts by the government to discredit Ebadi’s reputation and stymie her legal work led finally to the government targeting her daughters, husband, sister, and friends by search and seizure in their homes, abusive interrogation sessions, and jail time. All of these attempts at intimidation failed because Ebadi believed that if she stopped her work due to one or another intrusion by the government, her accusers would recognize her weak spot and would intensify their attacks even as she withdrew from the arena. There was nothing for it but to continue. Eventually the government confiscated the passports of her family members, and while she was out of the country attending a seminar just before the 2009 presidential election, brought a case against her. Facing jail in Iran should she return, Ebadi has been residing in Great Britain while continuing her work, every day hoping to be allowed to return to Tehran.

This simply written account of her years of protest is not a screed, but a quiet and insistently-argued call for reason. In detailing the annoyances and illegal attempts to curtail the rights of citizens in Iran, we get the sense of a very well-educated and politically-astute populace who see the limits of their current leadership. The protests during the 2009 election demonstrated that more than a few people felt their votes were not registering when Amadinejad was elected president. As protest, individuals would get on the roof of their apartment buildings and yell out “Alloaho akbar!” often late at night, every night. When Amadinejad called his oppnents ”khas o khasak”, or dust and dirt, a young musician made a music video called “Khas o Khashak” that quickly went viral.

During the final pages of this memoir Ebadi discusses Iranian involvement in the great Middle East, showing how Iran is doing as every nation ever has: supporting groups when it is in their interest to do so, not out of solidarity or even religious fervor. “What of the massacre of Muslims in Chechnya or the ruthless killing of Uighur Muslims in China? Iran has said little, if anything about these abuses because Russia and China are firm supporters, willing to defend Iran’s nuclear ambitions…”

Ebadi addresses the nuclear agreement signed between the United States and Iran, saying that she has always thought Iran had the right to use nuclear technology for power. Only lately has she learned that nuclear power has significant downsides, especially in a country with a major earthquake fault lying directly beneath it. Upon learning that nuclear power is protested mightily in the U.S., poses dangers like those exhibited at Fukushima in Japan, and will be phased out entirely in Germany by 2022, Ebadi thinks Iran’s leadership should be more aggressive in pursuing renewables, considering their location in the sun spot of the world.

When it came to the 2013 election of the moderate-sounding Hassan Rouhani, Ebadi says it only took until Rouhani had appointed his cabinet for everyone to see just how (not)moderate he was.

“For me, watching from afar, it was a bittersweet moment: Iranian’s demands for free, democratic elections had been so far reduced, their expectations so diminished, that they were gladdened by vote counting that was not fraudulent, in an election process that had vetted candidates so stringently that it could hardly be called a competition.”

And yet Ebani see the enormous challenges Rouhani faces in Tehran today, and suggests he might begin with something he can actually tackle, like human rights abuses, late-night raids, confessions extracted through torture, and unofficial detentions. Keep the outmoded and discriminatory laws if necessary, but allow cases to be argued in court at least. There is always “something that needs to be done first” in every list of priorities, but beginning is the real test of leadership.

Iran can be great again, Ebani suggests, if the government would just get out of the way of the citizenry, and allow sects, minorities, and women to contribute, and let freedom ring. Literacy among women in Iran is ninety-nine percent and sixty percent of university graduates are women. Yet the climate for women in Iran is deteriorating by the day, with musicians unable to perform on stage, women civil servants unable to work alongside men, and no women allowed to work in cafés or restaurants in Tehran. A great deal of damage can be done to a society and a country’s future without the full complement of society members able to have their voices heard. You might think that Iranians and Saudis were closest of friends from their policies, rather than arch rivals. Whoever figures out first that diversity makes for resilience, and acts on it, wins.

[Joanna Slow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rewolucja islamska z 1979 dramatycznie zmieniła życie Irańczyków. Dotknęło to szczególnie kobiety, z których wiele było beneficjentkami „białej rewolucji” i otwarcia się Iranu na zachodni styl życia po wspieranym przez USA zamachu stanu z 1952 roku. Kobiety otrzymały wówczas czynne i bierne prawa wyborcze, wprowadzano prawa istotnie zwiększające ich emancypację.
W „Kiedy będziemy wolne” Shirin Ebadi, irańska laureatka pokojowej Nagrody Nobla, dzieli się swoją historią, splecioną nierozerwalnie z historią Iranu. Ebadi, prawniczka, pierwsza kobieta w Iranie w zawodzie sędziny po dojściu do władzy duchownych z dnia na dzień ze względu na płeć została pozbawiona stanowiska i przesunięta do roli urzędniczki w Sądzie Najwyższym, któremu tuż przed tą degradacją przewodniczyła. Zdecydowała się pozostać w kraju, gdy wielu z jej przyjaciół emigrowało nie odnajdując się w nowej, regulowanej prawem szariatu rzeczywistości.
„Kiedy będziemy wolne” to poruszający opis życia w systemie totalitarnym, wykorzystującym wszystkie narzędzia do tego by zastraszyć i zniszczyć swoich obywateli. Noblistka pisze o swojej walce, nie politycznej, nie wymierzonej w podważanie obowiązującego prawa, mimo iż uważa je za niegodne nowoczesnego społeczeństwa, a o walce o prawa człowieka, tam, gdzie da się cokolwiek zrobić w ramach istniejących przepisów. A miejsca nie brakuje, bo sędziowie Republiki Islamskiej, nierzadko prości ludzie wyniesieni przez system do władzy, bardzo często nie znają założeń islamskiego prawodawstwa. Ebadi opowiada też o cenie, którą ona sama i ludzie z jej otoczenia musieli zapłacić za opór przeciwko władzy. Mocne przez to, że w 100% prawdziwe, czytając czuć, że to nie literatura, a relacja z pierwszej ręki, co w tym wypadku wzmacnia siłę przekazu.

[Bloodorange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is - all at the same time - scary, familiar, lyrical, and surprising (in the last chapter, Shirin Ebadi says the following: the authorities in Iran finance Hezbollah, and support, in many ways, the war in Syria, as a way of showing Iranian citizens what might happen if they rebel). It shows the life of a person whom the state really wants to eliminate (she was on the governments list - most dissenters from this list ended up knifed or strangled in their own apartments), yet who is too visible internationally, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to be killed. ("Imagine," she repeats, "what they routinely do to people not in my position." Apparently, in some cases giving people this Nobel Prize might literally save their lives; please don’t waste it on Bono and such.) It also, very importantly, shows the life of rather nice and cultured people who live in the police state which pulls no punches (unless Nobel Peace Prize winners are concerned).
Also: it is very accessibly (which does not mean simplistically) written. Highly recommended.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ebadi has devoted her life to fighting for civil rights and women's rights in her homeland Iran. She has lived in exile since 2006.

Ebadi lived for years under surveillance by the government. Her family, her colleagues, everyone associated with her was under the same scrutiny. She was forced into a lot of decisions that made her lose all of her assets and even her husband.

I admire her devotion as I don't know I could muster the same energy towards something that seems so ephemeral.

The book is just interconnected essays about her work. I did learn a lot about Iran and its politics.

[Trilla Pando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iran has always been part, but never a big part, of the American life I’ve lived. When I was in graduate school in 1979 a friend and fellow student went home to Iran—and never came back. Now, a close friend and native Texan treasures her Persian heritage by sharing it. And Iran has appeared and continues to appear, maybe too frequently, on the national news. Rarely is the news good. But for me, Persia is in the distant background, almost to the horizon.
Or was, until I read this book. Rarely do I complete a book within 24 hours of the time the Amazon sack appears on my doorway. This one, yes. I cancelled plans, ate canned soup, and read. It is fascinating and eye-opening on many counts.
I now have a clearer (clear may be out of the question) understanding of recent Iranian history and how it fits into world events—and I now know the people (men!) behind the names in the news across the years. But more, I experienced the life of a woman of about my age living a life—and losing a life—there.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi brings it all: Not only her personal memoir, but the role of women in the Iranian world and in the world at large--She unapologetically presents both. I did not agree with some decisions, but I wasn’t standing her shoes—and I certainly appreciate her logic.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Iranian people that I have met have been generally warm, friendly and welcoming. The country that they come from though is one of the most authoritarian on the planet with the invasive and pervasive monitoring of the population by the Ministry of Intelligence and draconian religious enforcement by the countries spiritual leaders. This powerful and emotive book is the part of the life story of Dr Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian activist and human rights lawyer. She is a strong willed and a lady of immense personal integrity and she has challenged every step of the way the total power that Iranian state thinks it should have.

She has fought tirelessly over the years for the elements in society that we take for granted; democracy, freedom of speech and most importantly in that country equality. Her work for those at the very bottom of society, the plight of Baha'is and women has been an inspiration across the globe, so much so, that she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless work. This did not go unnoticed by the authorities and the Ministry of Intelligence. They bugged her offices and home and made sure that her activities were disrupted and her and her staff and family were intimidated frequently. One man, Mahmudi, seems to have made it his personal mission to hound her to the end of the earth. Little did she know at the time, but a trip to Majorca would be the last time she saw her beloved country.

This book is very moving, not only do we get to see the side of Iran that few of us know about, but we see just how fractured it has become under the continuing despotic leadership. Ebadi writes with a passion and eloquence about her circumstances, the constant hounding that her husband and daughters have had to endure because of the stand that she has taken and the situation in the country. She is even intimidated by them whilst in exile. I would urge people to read this, not just to get an insight to another country in turmoil, but to see what the true face of humanity is and the courage of a woman who has chosen to stand up for her beliefs.

[LAMONT D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer, I read this book back in 2017 and gave it 3 stars. Reading it again I have a slightly different take on her book. First, I applaud her opposition to the abuses of the current, Islamic regime and what she attempted in her life before Iran shut the door for her to ever to return again. Certainly, sacrifices were made for her passion to do the right thing no matter what in her country. I felt though that her analysis of Obama's cautiously worded statements (after the stolen election in Iran) in which she regarded them as precisely the right approach was at best naive and at worst a clear misunderstanding of Iran's current regime. She certainly wants to hope for a brighter future but how will that come is never really explored. And then at the end of the book to praise Obama for signing the nuclear agreement with Iran is simply absurd and that has proven itself out. While noble to some degree my take is that she does not see things for what they really are in her own country. Easy for me to say and voice my opinion on, but I would venture a guess for example that many young Iranian students that study here in the USA wish desperately that defeat would transpire against the old guard in Iran and that it would come quickly.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting that I happened to be reading this book the week after the election. Ebadi discusses what elections have been like recently in Iran, and how after one election, it wasn't safe for her to return to her country. Though who knows what the future holds for America, I read this book and felt grateful that I'm not experiencing the widespread oppression that Ebadi and her compatriots face.

Ebadi has given her career and her personal life to fight for social justice in Iran, and her story is both harrowing and uplifting.

[Simona · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Questa è la nostra situazione. Nuotiamo nell'oscurità, senza cedere al pessimismo e al pensiero della costa lontana".

[ReadThruTheNight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shirin Ebadi's memoir, "Until We Are Free: My Fight for Human Rights in Iran", chronicles her courageous work as a human rights lawyer in Iran.
The book exposes the Iranian government's systemic attempts to intimidate and silence her and her family, as well as the immense personal cost of her activism.
Ebadi recounts the impact of her work on those around her and her experiences after the 2009 election protests, which led to her exile. Nevertheless, she persisted in her advocacy work from abroad, facing new forms of intimidation. In 2003, she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her pioneering efforts in human rights, becoming the first Iranian to receive the award.
This story is poignant, rendering it unforgettable long after the reader closes the book. 5 stars.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the political climate in Iran from this book written by a woman who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her work in human rights. She has been living in exile since 2009. Her story of how dealing with the Iranian government tore her family apart is an eye-opening story of the realities of people living in a place like Iran.

[Ewa (humanizmowo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Imponująca kobieta, ta książka to świadectwo odwagi i siły jaka potrafi być w człowieku. Jeśli wątpicie w swoje możliwości i wytrzymałość to koniecznie przeczytajcie.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have ever read. The subject matter of the book was hard to read sometimes. I wouldn't want to have lived in Iran since the revolution in 1978, but I admire the author for staying loyal to her country even while she was being treated as badly as she was treated.

Mrs. Ebadi is a brilliant attorney and not being able to practice in her chosen field because she is a woman is insane. Being watched and followed everywhere she went, being harassed by the morality police constantly would have destroyed a person not as strong as Mrs. Ebadi. Personally, I would have left Iran instead of trying to fix the system from within.

Winning the Noble Prize for Peace was a real achievement, even if she didn't get to keep the prize. But it also increased the pressure from the state to break her, to make her conform to their ideal of a female.

I recommend that anyone interested in the politics of not only the U.S. but the world read this book. The timing couldn't have been better in regards to the U.S. reestablishing relations with Iran.

I remember how Iran was under the Shah. A friend of mine during high school was from Iran and her father was tortured by members of his regime. I also remember when the hostage crisis happened. I still could not say whether Iran was worse under the Shah or the Ayatollah.

I am glad that Mrs. Ebadi is no longer in Iran, but the way her family was treated by the morality police, enticing her husband to be with another woman and forcing him to denounce his wife or be stoned to death is unimaginable. But at least, because she was visiting her daughters in the U S., she was not there for the election fiascos.

I was given a copy of this book to provide an honest review. And I honestly love this book. I have read a previous book by Mrs. Ebadi and now I intend to read more.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi's story of how she tirelessly fought for human rights inside Iran. It was scary and fascinating to see what its really like there and how much worse it got after Ahmadinejad rose to power. Her husband and sister were arrested and she was forced out of the country but continues to fight for the people and her country that she loves. I found Ebadi's determination to fight for what's right in the face of evil inspiring.

[Calzean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms Ebadi tells an impressive but sorry tale of her country overtaken by religious zealots who entrench themselves with power using every dirty trick possible. The most powerful section is when her husband, exhausted by the persecutions, questions whether all the effort Ebadi has made has been worth it.
Thank goodness there are people in the world with such resilience, stubbornness and passion to fight for human rights, a free and fair Government and an Iran where all people can live equally.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the help of Azadeh Moaveni, Shirin Ebadi delivers not just a court-lawyer-like report of her legal battles, but a beautifully written story that captures the sensory qualities of places, times, and relationships across her lifetime. Through it all Ebadi shows a level-headed appreciation for whatever is good in others, and a realistic appraisal of those who are bent on domination. She demonstrates a peaceful path of confronting injustice, exposing abuse to the light of public scrutiny, and doing this as her expression of Islamic faith.

[Maryam M.Gh · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتابی به قلم شیرین عبادی راجع به ایران که هیچ رویو ای به زبان فارسی نداره؟ بیاین تغییرش بدیم :))
من تمام اطلاعاتی که از شیرین عبادی و کارهاش داشتم از ویکی پدیا و اخباری که هرچند وقت یک بار میشنیدم اومده بود. و برداشتی که من داشتم اینه که ایشون خیلی منفوره توی فضای مجازی فارسی زبان. خیلیا ازش بدشون میاد چون به خاطر فعالیت های بشردوستانه اش رفته زندان در حالی که دو تا دختر کوچیک داشته و مادرا زندان نمیرن مثکه. عده ی دیگه ای هم ازش بدشون میاد چون مسلمونه و در حمایت از اصلاح طلبا حرف زده. بسیجی ها هم که دیگه مشخصه.
حقیقتا خیلی افسرده کننده بود خوندن راجع به وضعیت حقوق بشر در ایران و به خصوص خوندن راجع بهش به زبان انگلیسی بیشتر سورئالش میکرد برام!
فکر میکنم برای مخاطب انگلیسی زبان که هیچ آشنایی با احمدی نژاد و روحانی و ظریف نداره، این نام ها گیج کننده باشه. ولی برای من چکیده ای بود بر اتفاقات سیاسی تراماتیکی که بین سال های حدود ۸۵ و ۹۲ افتاده.
چیزی که برام سوال شد این بود: شیرین عبادی در نزدیکی انتخابات سال ۸۸ از ایران خارج میشه برای سخنرانی و کارهای حقوق بشری ای که میکرده به مقصد آمریکا. قبلش هم روی مخش بودن مامورین اطلاعات. تهدیدش میکردن و انقلابی ها رو بر علیه اش میشوریدن. ولی بعد اعتراضات و دستگیری های سال ۸۸، مسلم شده که اگه برگرده به کشور حتما بازداشت خواهد شد و جونش در خطره. این رو دقیقا نفهمیدم چرا و جایی نگفته بود که در حمایت از جنبش سبز و اعتراضات به جز دادن چندتا کامنت، کار دیگه ای کرده یا نه.
چیز دیگه ای که بهش فکرکردم اینه که من حاضرم به خاطر یک ارزشی که بهش معتقدم، زندگی خانوادگی و امکان برگشت به وطنم رو از دست بدم یا نه. راستش نه. بزدلیه، ولی اون حجم از شجاعت رو در خودم نمیبینم.

[Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking read, but it makes Shrin Ebadi all the more inspiring a figure as a result. I spend a lot of time frustrated with the irrational and destructive ironies of Western foreign policy—ex. I think America's love affair with Saudi Arabia and supposed moral indignation in regard to Iran is hypocrisy writ large. But this book served as a great reminder that despite the fact Iran is marginally less repressive than our main Arabic ally in the region, it's by no means in an ideal condition and its government is very friendly with inhumanity, injustice, and intolerance. Ebadi continually references the fact that if she, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was treated this poorly by the Iranian government, how much worse must it be for the average citizen who crosses them? This book is a memoir, yes, but it's also an indictment, a work of history, and a battle cry. One can only hope Ebadi's hope for human rights in Iran will come to fruition within our lifetimes, and, if it does, though she'd probably be too humble to say, it'd be thanks in large part to people like her if it does.

[Ludwifka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oficjalnie skończona 🙏. Bardzo dobry reportaż, gdy zaczynałam nie spodziewałam się, że aż tak mi się spodoba. Jako osoba, która nie miała większego pojęcia wcześniej o sytuacji w Iranie, naprawdę wiele się dowiedziałam. Głównie jak okrutny jest system w tego typu państwach. Część sytuacji przytoczonych przez autorkę wręcz wywoływała we mnie inny rodzaj bólu. Mój pierwszy reportaż ale na pewno nie ostatni. 4/5⭐️

[Romina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A devastating read! Shirin’s work as a human rights lawyer in Iran brings to light the inbred corruption that has long infected every system in Iran. To remain unfettered while completing this work is a true testament of her character and strength. IRI has tried and failed to censor Iranian voices and will continue to fail against the people of Iran and their love for the country they once knew. ‘This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.’ (Quote is actually ab America but largely applicable here)

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...[A] revolution not perpetually at war with its enemies becomes duty bound to be accountable to its citizens."

It's very poignant that the epilogue of this memoir happens at the time of the 2015 Iranian deal with five other nations regarding nuclear development, when at this moment, U.S. President Trump has just backed out of that same deal. Ebadi's insider perspective of the Iranian government system gives an idea of how that might affect Iranians in general and the government as whole, although that deal itself has very little to do with her story.

Ebadi's life has been devoted to making her government accountable to its people, to bring her country back to the prestige and respect it knew when it was one of the more progressive nations in the world, now some 40 years ago. It once had some of the highest rates of women in professional fields, heavily involved in government affairs and fields of medicine, law, universities, etc. This changed virtually overnight after the revolution and Ebadi's fight with government corruption has been ongoing ever since.

It's heartbreaking to read the stories of interrogations, bogus imprisonments and charges, and mental torture to which supposed "enemies" of the government are subjected. So often in the western media we hear all about that government, but so little about the lives of the ordinary Iranian citizens that are so devastated as a result. Ebadi's perspective is invaluable and a voice the western world would be wise to listen to, whether you ultimately agree with all of her ideals or not. The Persian culture is rich in history and it's a shame to see how corruption has quashed what has been built over centuries.
4.5/5

[Chris Demer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an informative book written by Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian woman and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize. The memoir recounts her life in Iran as a judge, a wife and mother of two daughters.

After the revolution in 1979, the hard line clerics, and later, the even more repressive Ahmadinejad regime, put in place severe restrictions on women throughout Iran in the name of Islam.
She was stripped of her judgeship, but went into private law practice with some devoted colleagues, focusing on legal issues of women and children. Working tirelessly for the rights of women, she was criticized, ostracized, followed, harassed, imprisoned. Her phones were tapped. She received death threats. Her family was threatened, her offices taken over by the government. Her sister and daughter were also taken into custody, had their passports taken, and threatened.

While she clearly loves her native land, she wants it to offer opportunities to all and education for women, laws that uphold the rights of women. Eventually, she lost her property, her husband, who remained supportive of her work, but unable to cope with her eventual exile. And she lost her country, no longer able to return to Iran under threat of never being allowed to leave.

She is a brilliant, strong woman who , despite her myriad losses, continues to fight for a better life for the people of Iran.
Her courage is inspiring.

[Viv JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until We Are Free is the memoir of Iranian human rights lawyer, Shirin Ebadi. It spans the years from 2003 (when she won the Nobel Peace Prize) to the present day, when she lives and works in exile. This is a very straightforwardly written, readable account and, despite there being plenty of shocking events, Ebadi never sensationalises her story. As well as her courage and conviction, what comes across here is her absolute love of Iran, and her sadness at not being able to live there any longer. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the Middle East and Iran.