Oct 07 – Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist, currently serving a 12-year prison sentence, has been honoured with the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize. Mohammadi was bestowed with the honour “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.” The prestigious award will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the death anniversary of its founder, Alfred Nobel.
Hailing Mohammadi as a “freedom fighter,” the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, started her speech by invoking the Farsi words for “woman, life, freedom” – a slogan frequently heard during protests against the Iranian government.
Five facts about Narges Mohammadi:
Ms Mohammadi is the 19th woman to receive this prestigious 122-year-old prize, following Maria Ressa of the Philippines, who was a co-recipient in 2021 along with Russia’s Dmitry Muratov.
Born on 21 April 1972, Mohammadi was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize a year after Iran witnessed widespread protests following the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
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Mohammadi’s tireless struggle for women’s rights has taken an immense toll on her life. She has been arrested 13 times, along with five convictions, resulting in a total prison sentence of 31 years and a punishment of 154 lashes.
Mohammadi is currently serving 12 years in Tehran’s Evin Prison for charges, including spreading propaganda against the state. Mohammadi also holds the position of deputy head at the Defenders of Human Rights Center, an NGO headed by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Reacting to the development, Mohammadi’s husband Taghi Rahmani said that the Nobel Prize will embolden her fight for human rights, but more importantly, “this is in fact a prize for the ‘women, life and freedom’ movement.”
