The Nobel Prize for Peace 2023 has been awarded to jailed activist Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and promotion of human rights and freedom for all.
Mohammadi is among the leading human rights activists in Iran, which is among the worst countries for women rights.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday (Oct 6) said, “This year’s peace prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who have demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women.”
BREAKING NEWS
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2023 #NobelPeacePrize to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.#NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/2fyzoYkHyf
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2023
Who gets the Nobel peace prize?
The Peace Prize is granted to individuals who have made substantial contributions to fostering fraternity among nations, reducing standing armies, and advancing peace congresses.
Last year’s recipient was a trio of human rights activists hailing from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. This selection was seen as a powerful message of disapproval directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian ally. The Peace Prize is open for both individuals and organizations, with notable past laureates including Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the United Nations.
The prize worth 11 million Swedish crowns (around $ 1 million) will be presented in Oslo on 10 December, the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895 will.
UN urges Iran to free Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi
The United Nations on Friday urged Iran to free Narges Mohammadi, moments after the jailed activist was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Mohammadi, 51, is a journalist-activist who spent much of the past 20 years in and out of jail for campaigning against mandatory dress code for women and the death penalty.
“The women of Iran have been an inspiration for the world,” the UN Human Rights office said.
The women of #Iran have been an inspiration to the world, courageously advocating for human rights, risking repression, harassment, violence and detention. We call for the release of all rights defenders arbitrarily detained. pic.twitter.com/Qqr046IFB0
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) October 6, 2023
“Their courage and determination in the face of reprisals, intimidation, violence and detention has been remarkable… Narges Mohammadi’s case is emblematic of the huge risks that women take to advocate for the rights of all Iranians. We call for her release and the release of all human rights defenders jailed in Iran,” AFP reported the UN Human Rights office as saying.
According to AFP, Human Rights office spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell at a press briefing in Geneva said that the Nobel award for Mohammadi “really highlights the courage and determination of the women of Iran and how they are an inspiration.”
UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said respect for women’s rights had always been an “extremely important point” for the United Nations, AFP further reported.
“We stand for the rights of women around the world, including in Iran,” she told the briefing.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “has been very clear in his defense in the human rights of women and girls in Iran,” she added.
Mohammadi still in prison
Mohammadi has been detained by the Iranian regime on 13 occasions, received convictions on five occasions, and faced a cumulative sentence of 31 years in prison, along with 154 lashings.
Earlier this year, she was among the three imprisoned Iranian journalists who were honored with the United Nations’ World Press Freedom Prize.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday (Oct 6) said, “This year’s peace prize also recognizes the hundreds of thousands of people who have demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women.
“Thank you, everyone, for your beautiful heartwarming messages as you may know it is impossible to make a phone call in Evin prison for political prisoners of the women’s ward on Fridays and Thursdays so we have to wait until tomorrow to hear from Narges and give her the good news,” the Official Account of Narges Mohammadi on X said said on Friday.
Thank you, everyone, for your beautiful heartwarming messages as you may know it is impossible to make a phone call in Evin prison for political prisoners of the women's ward on Fridays and Thursdays so we have to wait until tomorrow to hear from Narges and give her the good news pic.twitter.com/H6BFDfdPy4
— Narges Mohammadi | نرگس محمدی (@nargesfnd) October 6, 2023
Disclaimer: This news article was written by Mokokchung Times with inputs from agencies.