Imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize.
Narges Mohammadi, a 51-year-old Iranian woman, won the Nobel Peace Prize for her brave efforts against the mistreatment of women in Iran. The committee stated that her struggle has come at a great personal cost. Currently, she is serving a 10-year prison sentence in Iran’s Evin prison in Tehran.
Iran’s foreign ministry criticized the award, calling it biased and in line with the interventionist and anti-Iran policies of some European countries.
US President Joe Biden urged the Iranian government to release Ms. Mohammadi, praising her unwavering courage. French President Emmanuel Macron referred to her as a champion of freedom.
Who is Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi?
At the ceremony in Oslo on Friday, Ms. Reiss-Andersen explained that they awarded Ms. Mohammadi for her courageous fight for women’s rights in Iran and her advocacy for human rights and freedom for everyone. She started her speech with the words “woman – life – freedom,” reflecting the recent protests in Iran.
She emphasized that the prize also acknowledges the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who protested against the discriminatory and oppressive policies of the theocratic regime, a movement led by the new Nobel laureate.
Many Iranians and global human rights activists will be celebrating this award. The Nobel committee’s decision also strongly signals their disapproval of the Iranian authorities.
During the ceremony, Ms. Reiss-Andersen urged Iran to release Ms. Mohammadi from jail so she could attend the prize ceremony in December. However, it seems very unlikely that she will actually be able to receive her prize in person.
The United Nations stated that the award highlights the bravery and determination of Iranian women and how they serve as an inspiration to the world.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was in jail with Ms. Mohammadi until she was released in March 2022, expressed her joy for her friend. She said that Narges was a strong source of inspiration in prison, bravely fighting against women’s rights violations, solitary confinement, and unfair executions in Iran. She believes this award is a tribute to all Iranian women who have faced injustice.
Ms. Mohammadi’s son, Ali Rahmani, found out about the award while he was in class. He said he was very happy and proud of his mom. He feels the award is a recognition of the Iranian people’s protests.
Narges Mohammadi has faced numerous arrests, been convicted five times, and given a total of 31 years in prison. She was also sentenced to 154 lashes, but it’s unclear if this punishment was carried out.
From prison, she wrote to the BBC last December, sharing distressing details of the sexual and physical abuse suffered by Iranian women detained in protests. She revealed that these assaults had become more frequent during the protests sparked by the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
Narges Mohammadi is the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center. In 2020, she explained to the BBC why she was dedicated to advancing women’s rights in Iran, emphasizing the importance of supporting human rights and freedom worldwide.
She was also featured in the BBC’s 100 Women list last year, which celebrates influential and inspiring women from around the globe.
SOURCE:BBC