Oslo, Norway – Narges Mohammadi, a prominent Iranian women’s rights advocate, has been honoured with the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering commitment to combating the oppression of women in Iran and championing human rights and freedom. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, responsible for the prestigious award, announced the recognition on Friday.
Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the committee, acknowledged Mohammadi’s courageous struggle, emphasising the personal sacrifices she endured. Mohammadi has faced arrest 13 times, with five convictions and a total prison sentence of 31 years along with 154 lashes. Despite these challenges, she remains a leading human rights activist in Iran, advocating for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty.
Currently serving multiple sentences in Tehran’s Evin prison, totalling around 12 years, Mohammadi has been detained numerous times, with charges including spreading propaganda against the state. As the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, a non-governmental organisation led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, Mohammadi has been instrumental in advancing the cause of human rights.
Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, highlighted the significance of recognising human rights defenders in Iran, particularly women’s rights defenders. He emphasised the acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by young people in Iran and the challenges faced by human rights advocates.
Narges Mohammadi joins the esteemed list of Nobel Peace Prize winners as the 19th woman to receive the award in its 122-year history. The Norwegian Nobel Committee selected her from 351 candidates, including 259 individuals and 92 organisations.
Last year’s recipients were human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights group Memorial, and the Ukrainian human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties. They were recognised for promoting the right to criticise power and protect fundamental rights during Russia’s all-out war in Ukraine.
The Nobel Peace Prize, unique in being awarded in Oslo, is part of a series of awards, with the prizes this year amounting to 11 million krona ($990,000) in each category. The announcement of the final prize, for economics, is scheduled for Monday.
