Nobel Peace Prize Awarded To Jailed Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi

deadline.com:

The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded today to Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Iranian human rights activist whose “fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all” was cited by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

With today’s announcement, Mohammadi becomes the fifth person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize while incarcerated. “Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes,” said Committee Chair Berit Reiss-Andersen in announcing the award recipient. “Ms Mohammadi is still in prison as I speak.” Mohammadi has been an advocate for women’s rights since her days as a physics student in the 1990s, and came to international attention following her arrest during protests in the wake of the murder of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Jina Amini by the Iranian morality police. “Under the slogan ‘Woman – Life – Freedom,’ hundreds of thousands of Iranians took part in peaceful protests against the authorities’ brutality and oppression of women,” Reiss-Andersen said. “The regime cracked down hard on the protests: more than 500 demonstrators were killed.

Thousands were injured, including many who were blinded by rubber bullets fired by the police. At least 20 000 people were arrested and held in regime custody.

The motto adopted by the demonstrators – ‘Woman – Life – Freedom’ – suitably expresses the dedication and work of Narges Mohammadi.” “Narges Mohammadi is a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter,” Reiss-Andersen continued. “In awarding her this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour her courageous fight for human rights, freedom,