Jailed Iranian Activist Narges Mohammad Wins Nobel Peace Prize

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nobel Committee has awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Iranian activist, Ms Narges Mohammadi, for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.

In a statement announced on Friday, Ms Mohammadi was recognised for her brave struggle which has seen her arrested 13 times, convicted five times, and sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes.

As of the moment of her recognition for the prize, Ms Mohammadi is still in prison after her role in the largest political demonstrations against Iran’s theocratic regime since it came to power in 1979 after a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Jina Amini, was killed while in the custody of the Iranian morality police in September 2022.

Her killing triggered Under the slogan Woman – Life – Freedom, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took part in peaceful protests against the authorities’ brutality and oppression of women.

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.

In 2011 Ms Mohammadi was arrested for the first time and sentenced to many years of imprisonment for her efforts to assist incarcerated activists and their families.

Two years later, after her release on bail, Ms Mohammadi immersed herself in a campaign against the use of the death penalty. Iran has long been among the countries that execute the highest proportion of their inhabitants annually. Just since January 2022, more than 860 prisoners have been punished by death in Iran.

Her activism against the death penalty led to the re-arrest of Ms Mohammadi in 2015 and to a sentence of additional years behind walls. Upon her return to prison, she began opposing the regime’s systematic use of torture and sexualised violence against political prisoners, especially women, that is practised in Iranian prisons.

The 2022 protest led to her arrest again and from prison, she expressed support for the demonstrators and organised solidarity actions among her fellow inmates. The prison authorities responded by imposing even stricter conditions. Ms Mohammadi was prohibited from receiving calls and visitors. She nevertheless managed to smuggle out an article, which the New York Times published on the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s killing. The message was: “The more of us they lock up, the stronger we become.” From captivity, Ms Mohammadi has helped to ensure that the protests have not ebbed out.

In awarding her this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said it wishes to honour her courageous fight for human rights, freedom, and democracy in Iran.

This year’s Peace Prize also recognised the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women.

“Only by embracing equal rights for all can the world achieve the fraternity between nations that Alfred Nobel sought to promote. The award to Narges Mohammadi follows a long tradition in which the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Peace Prize to those working to advance social justice, human rights, and democracy. These are important preconditions for lasting peace,” the press release read in parts.

The Nobel Prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million) from a bequest left by their creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.

Alongside the announcement of peace, medicine and physiology, physics, chemistry, and literature have been announced in previous days. The last award will be announced for economic sciences on Monday.

Winners also receive an 18-carat gold medal and diploma at the award ceremonies in December.