Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, has been granted the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee revealed their decision, commending her relentless struggle against the oppression of women in Iran.
Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, has been granted the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee revealed their decision, commending her relentless struggle against the oppression of women in Iran.
Committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen emphasized that her unwavering commitment has taken a heavy personal toll. Presently, Ms. Mohammadi is serving a 31-year prison sentence in Iran and has endured the brutal punishment of 154 lashings.
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 fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”.
She began her address with the words “woman – life – freedom” – a reference to the motto of recent mass protests sweeping Iran.
She went on to describe the prize as recognition of the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who have demonstrated over the past year against the “theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women” – a movement headed, she said, by the new Nobel prize winner.
Millions of Iranians will be cheering this award along with human rights activists around the world.
The Nobel committee decision also sends a very strong signal of disapproval to the Iranian authorities.
At the ceremony, Ms Reiss-Andersen also urged Iran to release Ms Mohammadi from jail so she could attend the prize ceremony in December.
“If the Iranian authorities make the right decision they will release her so she can be present to receive this honour, which is what we primarily hope for.”
But it seems highly unlikely that the activist will actually be able to pick up her prize.
Former winners
Last year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus and two human rights organizations from Russia and Ukraine.
The previous year, the Nobel Peace Prize went to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their “courageous fight for freedom of expression” in the Philippines and Russia.
Former winners of the award include former US presidents Jimmy Carter (2002) and Barack Obama (2009), as well as Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai (2014), the European Union (2012), and the UN and its then secretary-general, the late Kofi Annan (2001).