Iranian police yesterday raided and closed the office of a watchdog group led by Iran's Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi before a celebration to mark International Human Rights Day. Iran's judiciary confirmed the closure of the Human Rights Defenders Centre, saying it was involved in "illegal" activities.

"Teheran prosecutor ordered the closure of the office of Human Rights Defenders Centre because of its illegal activities," the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

"The centre was acting as a (political) party without having legal permit. It had illegal contacts with local and foreign organisations. It had organised news conferences and seminars."

Ms Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, criticised the raid, saying it would not stop human rights activists in Iran.

"The closure of the office without providing a legal warrant is illegal. We will protest against it," Ms Ebadi told Reuters. "It will not deprive us from our rights activities."

Narges Mohammadi, deputy head of the centre, said that dozens of policemen, including plainclothes security agents, had entered the office without showing a search warrant.

"A policeman said he was not obliged to show a warrant because he was wearing a police uniform," Mr Mohammadi told Reuters.

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