THE NOMINEES
Shirin Ebadi: Continuing defense of prisoners of conscience and pursuing cases of victims of IRI repression .
Akbar Ganji: Dissident journalist who went on hunger strike for more than 70 days and put in solitary confinement for past three months .
Ali Karimi: Byern Munich mid-fielder is latest Iranian sensation in the German premier football league.
Hadi Khorsandi: Satirist, comedian, publisher in exile who has shocked and thrilled audiences with his stand-up comedy performances.
Afsaneh Najmabadi: Author of ground-breaking book, Women with Mustaches and Men without Beards: Gender and Sexual Anxieties of Iranian Modernity.
Pierre Omidyar: Businessperson donated more than $140 million to educational institutions.
Hossein Rezazadeh: Strongest man in the world for the 5th successive as record-breaking weightlifter.
Ziba Shirazi: "Havaye Tazeh" album -- a synthesis jazz, blues, and Iranian folk -- was truly a breath of fresh air.
Nasser Zarafshan: Human rights lawyer pursuing the 'serial murders' case has spent much of the past five years in prison .
Omid Memarian: Blogger honored by Human Rights Watch representing the outspoken and dynamic Iranian blogging community.
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