Iranian women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, delivering a powerful rebuke to Tehran’s authoritarian leaders and providing a boost to anti-government protesters. The Nobel Committee acknowledged the significant contributions of Mohammadi and the broader movement for social change in Iran, honoring their efforts to promote women’s rights and abolish the death penalty. The committee called for Mohammadi’s release from prison so that she can personally receive the award in December. The Iranian authorities have yet to respond officially, but state media has criticized the prize as interference by Western actors. Mohammadi is currently serving multiple prison sentences, and charges against her include spreading propaganda against the state. As the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, she fights for human rights alongside her organization’s leader, Shirin Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Mohammadi joins a long line of inspiring women who have received this prestigious award, being the 19th woman to do so and the first since Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia were jointly awarded in 2021. Mohammadi’s husband expressed his hope that this honor will strengthen her struggle for human rights and serve as recognition for the larger movement advocating for the rights of women, life, and freedom.
The Nobel Peace Prize, amounting to approximately $1 million, will be presented in Oslo on December 10th, the date commemorating the death of the prize’s founder, Alfred Nobel. Previous recipients of the prize include renowned figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Committee head Berit Reiss-Andersen began her announcement by using the Farsi words for “woman, life, freedom,” echoing the protest slogan and emphasizing the recognition of those who have challenged gender discrimination and oppression in Iran. This award comes in the wake of reports that an Iranian teenage girl was hospitalized after being attacked on the Tehran metro for not wearing a hijab, an incident vehemently denied by Iranian authorities. It also coincides with the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, another Iranian woman, whose death while in the custody of morality police sparked nationwide protests, marking a significant challenge to the Iranian government.
The award has garnered widespread praise from international bodies, with the United Nations’ human rights office commending the bravery of Iranian women and acknowledging the obstacles they face, including harassment and restrictive laws. Mohammadi’s brother expressed his overwhelming gratitude for the recognition and voiced his hopes for greater safety for activists in Iran, where their lives are constantly at risk. Although the Nobel Prize could potentially alleviate some pressure on Iranian dissidents, experts believe that it is unlikely to lead to immediate release from prison for Mohammadi.
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