Context:
Recently, Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi has been chosen by the Royal Swedish Academy for the coveted Nobel Peace Prize,2023 for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Dimensions of the Article:
- Nobel Peace Prize 2023 Winner
- Narges Mohammadi: Nobel Peace Laureate and Human Rights Advocate
- The Iranian Hijab Movement
Nobel Peace Prize 2023 Winner: Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi:
- Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian activist, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2023 by the Royal Swedish Academy.
Reason for Award:
- Narges Mohammadi has been recognized for her tireless efforts in fighting against the oppression of women in Iran.
- She has also been acknowledged for her advocacy in promoting human rights and freedom for all.
Significance:
- The Nobel Peace Prize acknowledges her significant contributions over the years in advocating for the right to criticize arbitrary policies and defending the fundamental rights of citizens.
- Previous Nobel Peace Prize Recipients:
- In 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organization Memorial, and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties.
Narges Mohammadi: Nobel Peace Laureate and Human Rights Advocate
Nobel Peace Laureate:
- Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023.
- She is recognized as a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter.
Recognition of Iranian Demonstrators:
- The Nobel Peace Prize also acknowledges the hundreds of thousands of people who have protested against the discriminatory and oppressive policies of Iran’s theocratic regime, particularly those targeting women.
- The Iranian demonstrators adopted the motto “Woman – Life – Freedom,” which aligns with Narges Mohammadi’s dedication and work.
Contributions:
- Narges Mohammadi actively opposes the death penalty, a cause she champions in a country with a high rate of state executions.
- She has been a strong advocate for women’s rights since her college days.
- Her activism led to her first arrest in 2011, as she worked to assist incarcerated activists and their families.
Fight for Human Rights:
- While in prison, Mohammadi spoke out against the regime’s systematic use of torture and sexualized violence, especially against women political prisoners.
- During the Mahsa Amini Protests (Iranian Hijab Movement), she expressed support for the demonstrators from inside the prison and organized solidarity actions among fellow inmates.
Other Awards and Achievements:
- Narges Mohammadi received the Alexander Langer Award in 2009.
- She was also honored with the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize and the Olof Palme Prize in 2023.
- Her book, ‘White Torture: Interviews with Iranian Women Prisoners,’ received an award for reportage at the International Film Festival and Human Rights’ Forum.
The Iranian Hijab Movement:
- In Iran, there is a strict legal requirement for women to wear hijabs or headscarves as part of their regular outfits.
- Violating this dress code can lead to arrests, warnings, or severe punishments.
Mahsa Amini’s Arrest:
- The movement gained momentum after the arrest of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, for breaching the dress code for women in Iran.
Outbreak of Protests:
- Mahsa Amini’s arrest was followed by her tragic death, which sparked widespread protests by Iranian women.
- These protests demanded greater freedom and the right to choose whether or not to wear the hijab.
Global Impact:
- The demand for freedom of choice regarding the hijab is no longer confined to Iran; it has become a global movement.
- Cities worldwide, including Auckland, London, Melbourne, New York, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Stockholm, Sydney, and Zurich, witnessed demonstrations in solidarity with Iranian women.
- Banners with slogans like “Women, life, liberty” were prominently displayed during these protests.
-Source: Indian Express
