2023-12-09 14:41:21
Demonstration in support of Mahsa Amini, in Istanbul (Turkey), September 20, 2022. OZAN KOSE / AFP
The parents and brother of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurd who died in September 2022, who was to receive the Sakharov Prize in France, awarded to the young victim posthumously, were prohibited from leaving Iranian territory, the Agency announced France-Presse their lawyer in France, Saturday December 9.
« [Ils] were banned from boarding the flight which was to take them to France for the Sakharov Prize award and from leaving the territory yesterday at midnight even though they had a visaexplained Chirinne Ardakani. Their passports were confiscated. (…) They returned home at night, but their lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, arrived in Paris to receive the award on their behalf. »
The Sakharov Prize, a European Union distinction honoring defenders of human rights and fundamental freedoms, was awarded in October by the European Parliament to Mahsa Amini and to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement – bloodily repressed by the government in Iran.
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The “feverish” Iranian authorities
The death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022, at the age of 22, three days after her arrest by the police for an ill-fitting veil, led to months of large-scale demonstrations against Iranian political and religious leaders, including the repression caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests.
“While the Nobel is being held at the same time, the Iranian authorities have never been so mobilized to prevent the families of the victims from speaking to the international communityestimated Ms. Ardakani. We sense that the authorities are nervous about any expression of support from the international community. »
“The brutal murder of Dina Mahsa Amini marked a turning point”underlined the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, when announcing the prize. “The slogan “Woman, life, freedom” has become a rallying cry for all those who defend equality, dignity and freedom in Iran”she added.
On November 23, the European Parliament condemned Iran’s attacks against women. In a non-binding resolution adopted by 516 votes (4 against and 27 abstentions), it « I condemn[ait] strongly condemns the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran and the brutal killings of women by Iranian authorities, including the 2023 Sakharov Prize laureate, Mahsa Amini”. MEPs called for “immediate release of all victims of arbitrary detention and human rights defenders”notably the Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi, 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
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