TEHRAN, Oct 14: Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi returned to Tehran on Tuesday, immediately calling for the freeing of political prisoners as she was mobbed by thousands of well-wishers.

“I hope that all political prisoners will be freed,” Ms Ebadi, the first Muslim woman and first Iranian to win the prize, told reporters after she stepped off an Iran Air Boeing 747 from Paris.

“This prize is not only for me, but for all those in favour of peace, democracy, human rights and legality,” said a visibly emotional Nobel laureate, who almost fell to the ground in a crush of journalists and ordinary residents who turned out to greet her.

“The world recognizes the fight of Muslim women, and this is my political message,” she said. “My message for Iranians is a message of love, friendship, peace and justice.”

Some 10,000 people, a majority of them women, had descended on Tehran’s Mehrabad airport for her homecoming.

Many shouted political slogans, including calls for political prisoners to be set free and chants directed against President Mohammad Khatami, who earlier on Tuesday poured scorn on the prize.

As the area surrounding the city centre complex was brought to a standstill by bumper-to-bumper traffic, people were seen abandoning their vehicles and covering the final few kilometres on foot to catch a glimpse of the petite and softly-spoken jurist.

Many women were clutching bouquets of flowers and pictures of the Nobel winner, and singing patriotic hymns. Most of them were also wearing white headscarves.

An organising committee set up by supporters of Ebadi to plan festivities for her return had called on women to make the symbolic gesture of wearing white rather than the usual black preferred by the government.—AFP