WASHINGTON (JTA) — Iran has frozen the bank accounts and seized the Nobel Peace Prize medal of an Iranian human rights activist.
Norway said Nov. 26 that the medal and diploma awarded to Shrin Ebadi in 2003 had been confiscated — a first in the history of the award, according to reports.
Last Friday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied having taken the medal, but did seem to confirm that it had frozen her assets. The ministry said Ebadi had not paid $400,000 in taxes on the $1.3 million Nobel prize.
Ebadi said the prize is exempt from taxes under Iranian law.
