Iran’s imprisoned women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi has won the Nobel Peace Prize, delivering a rebuke to Tehran’s theocratic leaders and providing support for anti-government protesters. The award-making committee praised those behind the recent demonstrations in Iran and called for the release of Mohammadi, who has been campaigning for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty for over thirty years.
Berit Reiss-Andersen, head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, stated that the prize aims to send a message to women worldwide who face systematic discrimination, encouraging them to have courage and continue their fight. The prize also seeks to support Mohammadi and the hundreds of thousands of people in Iran who demand “Woman, Life, Freedom,” the main slogan of the protest movement.
Tehran has not yet provided an official response to the announcement, but the semi-official news agency Fars referred to Mohammadi’s recognition as a result of her acts against national security and her receipt of the prize from Westerners.
Mohammadi, currently serving multiple sentences in Tehran’s Evin Prison totaling around 12 years, is the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, led by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. This recognition makes her the nineteenth woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the first since Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia jointly won the award in 2021.
Mohammadi’s husband, Taghi Rahmani, expressed his joy and stated that this Nobel Prize will strengthen her fight for human rights, emphasizing that it is a prize for the “women, life, and freedom” movement. Throughout her life, Mohammadi has been arrested over a dozen times and has been held in Evin Prison three times since 2012. She has been unable to see her husband for 15 years and her children for seven years.
The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns (around $1 million), will be presented to Mohammadi in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, who established the awards in his 1895 will. Previous winners include Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.
Mohammadi, quoted by the New York Times, declared that she will never stop striving for democracy and equality, even if it means staying in prison. She aims to continue fighting against discrimination, tyranny, and gender-based oppression imposed by the oppressive religious government until women are liberated.
The win is significant not only for Mohammadi but also for Iranian women as a whole. It comes just over a year after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police for alleged dress code violations, sparking nationwide protests and a deadly crackdown. The U.N. human rights office and other global bodies have paid tribute to Mohammadi, highlighting the bravery of Iranian women in the face of repression.
Mohammadi’s brother expressed overwhelming gratitude for the prize and hoped that it would make Iranian campaigners safer, considering the dangerous situation they face. However, experts suggest that while the prize may help alleviate pressure on Iranian dissidents, it is unlikely to result in Mohammadi’s release from prison.