Mehrangiz Kar was born on October 10, 1944, in Ahvaz, a city in southern Iran. She completed her elementary and secondary education in Ahvaz and later moved to Tehran to attend the University of Tehran, where she earned a degree in Political Science and Law. After graduation, Kar initially pursued a career in law but faced challenges due to age restrictions. She subsequently worked for Iran’s Social Security Organization (Sazman-e Ta’min-e Ejtemai) from 1966 to 1976.
In 1969, Kar married Siamak Pourzand, a well-known journalist. They had two daughters: Leily, who lives in Canada, and Azadeh, who resides in the United Kingdom. Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Kar was a prominent journalist and columnist, contributing to several publications, including Ferdowsi, Kayhan, and Rastakhiz. Her work often dealt with social issues, and her candid critique of political regimes—particularly those backed by the United States—was veiled in subtle references to international affairs. Despite restrictions on free speech under the Pahlavi regime, Kar managed to express her views by analyzing political systems in other countries, drawing parallels with Iran’s situation.
Kar was never affiliated with any particular political group, yet she was regarded as a social and political critic. Her articles, often accompanied by a photo of her with short hair, were viewed by some as controversial, particularly after the revolution. Her open defiance of the Islamic regime’s dress code and her refusal to support the 1979 revolution led to her becoming a target of state-sponsored smear campaigns.
When the Islamic Revolution culminated in the fall of the Shah, Kar had just obtained her law degree and was eager to practice. However, the new regime restricted women’s participation in the workforce, including barring them from becoming judges. Despite these setbacks, Kar continued to defend clients in Islamic courts, primarily focusing on human rights violations, while conforming to the regime’s restrictive social rules.
In the early 1990s, Kar began working with women’s rights activists and publishing articles in the reformist press, particularly Zanan, a women’s magazine. Her advocacy centered on exposing the systemic legal discrimination against women in Iran, particularly regarding the country’s Penal Code. Kar was also instrumental in researching and exposing the historical status of women in Iran, co-authoring a book with fellow activist Shahla Lahiji.
In 2000, Kar attended a conference in Berlin titled “Iran After the Elections,” where she publicly called for constitutional reform and secularism in Iran. Upon her return to Iran, she was arrested and charged with acting against national security and spreading propaganda. She was sentenced to four years in prison, but after two months of detention, she was temporarily released for medical treatment abroad due to a cancer diagnosis. Her husband, Siamak Pourzand, was arrested shortly afterward and tortured, with authorities accusing him of espionage.
Since her release, Kar has continued to advocate for human rights and women’s rights, publishing several books and articles in both Farsi and English. She has received multiple international honors, including the Ludovic Trarieux Prize in 2002 and recognition from Human Rights First in 2004. She has served as a fellow at institutions such as the National Endowment for Democracy, Woodrow Wilson Center, Columbia University, and Harvard University.
For the past 22 years, Kar has lived in exile, continuing her activism from abroad, where she has been both praised and criticized for her outspoken views. Her recent work focuses on human rights and constitutionalism in Iran, and she remains an outspoken critic of the Iranian government’s policies, particularly concerning women’s rights and legal reform.
Mehrangiz Kar’s memoirs and ongoing research on human rights and law in Iran continue to be a testament to her resilience and commitment to justice. She remains an influential voice in the global fight for freedom, democracy, and gender equality.
Last updated on 28 November, 2024