A “Free Speech” seminar was held at the Sorbonne University school of law in Paris ‎yesterday with the participation of Shirin Ebadi, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah and Narges ‎Mohammadi. The seminar, which was hosted by Abdolkarim Lahiji, called on Islamic ‎republic officials to observe and respect international laws. It also called on the Iranian ‎people all over the world to join the anti-war movement. ‎

The seminar began with a speech from Dr. Abdolkarim Lahiji, vice president of the ‎International Federation of Human Rights Leagues. Lahiji complained about the Iranian ‎government’s refusal to allow Abdolfattah Soltani to participate in the conference. He ‎then proceeded to present a short history of the development of human rights, focusing on ‎John Locke and John Stuart Mill, and speak about the Universal Declaration of Human ‎Rights, which promises a world free of “war, poverty and fear.” ‎

Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Peace prize laureate, took over the podium and identified free ‎speech as the first step toward democracy and recounted the effects of an absence of free ‎speech in Iran. In particular, she spoke about the absence of free speech in regards to ‎women's rights issues: "The informed women of Iranian society protest the anti-women ‎laws that were passed after the revolution. The wise women of Iran have realized that ‎one of the ways of fighting the status quo is to empower themselves." ‎

Ebadi then referred to the high number of women students in Iranian universities, adding ‎that Iranian women are building a feminist movement that "has no leader, office or ‎branch," but is present "in the house of any Iranian who believes in freedom." ‎

Ebadi then argued that the feminist movement is Iran will be among "the most significant ‎and influential movements in Iran's future" and blamed the recent crackdown on women's ‎rights movement on the lack of free speech. ‎

Ebadi then spoke about the One Million Signatures Campaign and asserted that the ‎purpose of this campaign is not simply to collect signatures, but to raise awareness, which ‎is more important. She added, "Despite all shortcomings and restrictions, this campaign ‎is marching on today stronger than ever." ‎

Ebadi dismissed claims by the Iranian government that women activists are disrupting ‎public order: "women are pursuing their rights, but no one hears their plea." ‎

Several other speakers took over the podium after Ebadi and spoke about impediments to ‎free speech in Iran. The gathering ended with a question and answer session. ‎