Imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize
In announcing the decision, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said Ms.Mohammadi, 51, was honored for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran.
Committee chairman Berit Reiss-Andersen said his fight had come at a high cost.
She said Ms.Mohammadi is currently serving a 31-year prison sentence in Iran and received 154 lashes.
At Friday’s ceremony in Oslo, Ms.Reiss-Andersen said the prestigious award was given to Ms.
Mohammadi for her “fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her struggle to promote human rights. ” and freedom for all.
” She began her speech with the words “women – life – freedom” – a reference to the motto of the mass protests that have recently spread across Iran.
She later described the award as recognition for the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who have protested over the past year against “the theocracy’s discriminatory and oppressive policies targeting women” – a movement led by a new Nobel laureate.
Millions of Iranians will cheer the award along with human rights activists around the world.
-The Nobel committee’s decision also sent a strong signal of disapproval to the Iranian government.
At the ceremony, Ms.Reiss-Andersen also called on Iran to release Ms.
Mohammadi from prison so she could attend the award ceremony in December.
“If the Iranian authorities make the right decision, they will release her so she can be present to receive this honor, which is what we hope for most.
”But it seems highly unlikely that the activist will actually receive his award.
The United Nations said the award highlighted “the courage and determination of Iranian women and that they are an inspiration to the world”.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British citizen of Iranian descent who was held in Tehran’s Evin prison with Ms.
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Mohammadi until her release in March 2022, said she was happy for her friend.
“That made me cry. She did so much for all of us at Evin.Narges was an inspiration and pillar to the women of Evin Women’s Ward for their courageous fight against violations of women’s rights, the use of solitary confinement and executions in the Iranian judicial system.
“This award belongs to every Iranian woman who, in one way or another, has been and remains a victim of injustice in Iran.
”In addition to her long prison sentence, Ms. Mohammadi was also arrested 13 times and sentenced 5 times.
Last December, she wrote from prison to provide the BBC with harrowing details of how Iranian women detained during the protests were subjected to sexual and physical abuse.
She said such attacks have become more common during the protests, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in September 2022 in police custody.
Unrest then spread across the country, with demands ranging from more freedoms to the overthrow of the state.
