2023-10-06 11:11:00
After literature, peace. This Friday, October 6, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi for her “fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight for the promotion of human rights and freedom for all “.
The 50-year-old was arrested by the regime 13 times. In total, she was sentenced 5 times, to 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. She is still in prison. Narges Mohammadi was first arrested in 2011 after protesting for the fate of incarcerated activists and their families, Nobel added. She distinguished herself, in particular, by being an ardent defender of equality and women’s rights, while she was a young physics student.
After her release on bail, Mohammadi immersed herself in a campaign against the use of the death penalty. His activism against the death penalty earned him a new arrest in 2015 and a sentence of additional years behind the walls. In its decision, the Academy considers that, during the waves of protests in recent months in Iran, Narges “Mohammadi contributed to ensuring that the demonstrations did not die out.”
“A historic moment”
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi represents “a historic and important moment for the struggle for freedom in Iran,” her family reacted in a written message on Friday. “We dedicate this award to all Iranians and in particular to Iranian women and girls who have inspired the entire world with their courage and their fight for freedom and equality,” adds the family. His son, Ali, 17 years old, said he was “very proud” of his mother, whom he has not seen for eight years.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Friday a “very strong choice” for “a freedom fighter” while UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the title a “tribute to all these women who fight for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives.” This award “is an important reminder that the rights of women and girls face serious setbacks, including through the persecution of women’s rights defenders, in Iran and elsewhere,” he said in a statement. .
The United States spoke of the “courage” of Narges Mohammadi. “Narges Mohammadi is a hero to so many people in Iran and around the world. Today the whole world recognizes with one voice his courage,” declared the American envoy for Iran Abram Paley in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded Friday to the Iranian activist shows “the strength of women for freedom”, reacted German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on X (ex-Twitter). “Mohammadi’s fearless voice cannot be imprisoned, the future of Iran is its women,” said the head of German diplomacy regarding the imprisoned activist.
READ ALSO “Woman, life, freedom”: in Iran, the daily revolution of women “The case of Narges Mohammadi is emblematic of the enormous risks women take to defend the rights of all Iranians. We demand his release and that of all human rights defenders imprisoned in Iran,” reacted the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in an email sent to Agence France-Presse.
Russia, an ally of Iran, remains silent after this reward. “No, we have no reaction,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
In 2022, the prize was awarded to imprisoned Belarusian activist Ales Beliatski, the Russian civil liberties NGO Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties. The Academy saluted “three remarkable champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence” in their three countries.
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