Iranian human rights activist Nargis Mohammadi wins the Nobel Peace Prize

Oslo: Iranian human rights activist Nargis Mohammadi has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2023. While announcing the award, the Nobel Committee in Norway stated that 51-year-old Narges Mohammadi has been honored for her efforts against the injustices faced by women in Iran.Committee Chairperson Berit Reiss-Andersen mentioned that she had paid a “heavy price” for her struggle, as Narges Mohammadi is currently serving a 31-year prison sentence in Iran and has also been given a fine of 154 million.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Oslo on Friday, Reiss-Andersen said that this award was given to Narges Mohammadi for her “struggle against the injustices faced by women in Iran and for the promotion of human rights and freedom.” She began her speech with the words “Women, life, freedom,” which emerged as a slogan during recent protests in Iran.
She said that this award represents the recognition of the tireless efforts of thousands of Iranians who have been protesting against “the Iranian government’s targeting of women and the escalating repression against them” for the past year. She also mentioned that Narges Mohammadi was leading this movement.Numerous Iranians will be pleased with this award, and human rights activists around the world will celebrate this occasion. During the ceremony, Reiss-Andersen also called on Iran to release Narges Mohammadi from prison immediately so that she can attend the award ceremony in December.
She said, “Iranian authorities should make the right decision and release her so she can receive this honor. We hope for that.” However, the chances of her being released to receive the award are currently very slim.The United Nations has described this award as “a symbol of the courage and bravery of Iranian women” and an example for people around the world. British-Iranian social worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who spent time in Tehran’s Evin Prison alongside Narges Mohammadi, was released in March 2022 and expressed her happiness for her friend’s award.
She said, “I’m also crying. They did a lot for all of us in Evin Prison. Narges is a pillar and an example for the women in Evin Prison because she has tirelessly fought against violations of women’s rights without fear and danger.”
“This award is for every woman in Iran who has suffered injustice in one way or another,” she added.
In addition to her long-term imprisonment, Narges has been arrested 13 times in the past and has been sentenced five times. In December, she had shared harrowing details of Evin Prison with BBC, including the sexual and physical abuse suffered by Iranian women.
According to her, incidents of violence during protests were widespread, starting in September 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. These protests escalated from demanding the removal of the government to calls for freedom, and Iranian women were seen burning their headscarves as a symbolic act of protest. These images gained international recognition.
The Iranian authorities cracked down heavily on these protests, and they have now largely subsided. Narges Mohammadi is also the Deputy Head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center. Last year, she was included in BBC’s list of “100 Most Influential Women.”