STA, 4 March 2019 - Iranian journalist, blogger and human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari, has found refuge in Slovenia under the ICORN programme. "I'm very happy and grateful that you've accepted me. I've found my peace and freedom here," she told a press conference in Ljubljana.
The press conference was hosted by the Mira women's section of the Slovenian PEN centre ahead of International Women's Day.
The 34-year-old Iranian has been residing in Ljubljana for four months under the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) programme, in which cities and regions offers shelter to writers, journalists and artists at risk of persecution.
The Tehran native has been reporting on various social topics in Iran, including child labour, treatment of political prisoner, extreme poverty and women's rights, Mira president Tanja Tuma said at the presentation.
Nazar Ahari has published articles in prominent web portals and has also been writing for the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, of which she is a founding member. She also had a blog, which is now closed.
She has received numerous awards and accolades, including the inaugural Advocate Behind Bars award in 2012 by the American Islamic Congress.
Nazar Ahari was imprisoned in 2009 by the Iranian authorities for organising a campaign with several other activists for demanding that presidential election pay attention to women's rights.
Accused of "waging war against God", she was sentenced to six years in prison but was released after less than a year under pressure from international organisations, including PEN International.
"I felt that I needed fresh air. I was actually also somewhat disappointed and tired," Nazar Ahari said, adding that she was leaving Iran in a very difficult economic situation.
The situation is deteriorating because of international sanctions, food is getting more expensive every day, people live in fear and are worried about the future, there are no human rights, let alone democracy, she said.
"I'm happy that I have the opportunity to be in Ljubljana. I don't believe that any other city would provide me such peace in this period," added Nazar Ahari.
