On October 6, 2023, Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mohammadi is a longtime advocate for the rights of women in Iran. She is currently imprisoned with many other political prisoners in Tehran’s Evin prison, which is notorious for its poor treatment of detainees. Originally an engineer, Mohammadi has advocated for the human rights of Iranians, especially women, for decades. She works with the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran, which was founded by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Because of her work, Mahammadi has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times, spending over a decade either in prison or facing legal threats, yet has continued to fight for her rights and those of her fellow citizens. In prison, she has faced torture and solitary confinement and is restricted in the amount of time she can speak with her family. Mohammadi faces a ten-year sentence, and the Nobel Peace Prize is unlikely to change the position of the government, which criticized the award being given to a “criminal”.
The Iranian regime has a long history of mistreating political dissent and violating the rights of its citizens. Women in Iran face constant repression and discrimination, with strict laws regarding the wearing of the hijab. In 2022, protests broke out around Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, after the morality police arrested her for alleged violations of the hijab law. Months of extraordinary protests, many led by women, followed. The regime responded with violence and further repression. Protesters were arrested, beaten, shot, and accused of being foreign agents. Even in the face of such immense pressure, protestors continued to peacefully advocate for their rights. Inspiring images of peaceful demonstrations show that Mohammadi’s advocacy over many decades was part of a much wider movement.
Mohammadi’s recognition as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize ensures that the memory of Amini and the spirit of the protest movements in Iran will remain a global cause. Despite her imprisonment, she continues to advocate for her beliefs and the rights of her fellow Iranians. A recently released recording seemed to show her leading fellow prisoners in chants of “Woman, Life, Freedom”, one of the defining slogans of the 2022 protests.
Mohammadi’s resilience is inspiring, as is her dedication to fight for what is right despite the abuses her own government has committed against her. Many notable global figures applauded the decision of the Nobel Committee, including French President Emanuel Macron, UN Secretary General António Guterres, and Belarussian pro-democracy activist Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Past recipients also came out in support of Mohammadi, including Muhammad Yunus and Oleksandra Matviichuk, one of the 2022 laureates who drew a connection to her own activism in Ukraine. Former U.S. President Barack Obama praised Mohammadi’s “courage, and the hope that she represents—not only for the women in Iran, but for women fighting repression and violence around the world.” Malala Yousafzai, the 2014 laureate who faced threats to her life for advocating for women’s rights in Pakistan, said Mohammadi is a “courageous defender of Iranian women” and called to “celebrate the resilience and strength of women and girls, in Iran and worldwide”. Mohammadi’s husband dedicated the award to all Iranian women on her behalf from Paris, where he lives with their two children. Despite the separation from her family, mistreatment in prison and the numerous institutional obstacles she faces, Mohammadi is committed to fighting for peace for the women of Iran, and she is not alone.
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Leo Weakland
Leo Weakland graduated from the George Washington University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs. He is the Development and Operations Manager for Peace News Network, and is based in Washington, D.C. Before Peace News, he worked as a Research Assistant at GWU, for a nonprofit focused on supporting veterans running for office, and interned at the Office of the General Counsel at the Centers for Disease Control.
