Nobel Peace Prize 2023 awarded to jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi
“If the Iranian authorities make the right decision they will release her so she can be present to receive this honour, which is what we primarily hope for,” Reiss-Andersen, the head of the committee, said.
Narges Mohammadi has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2023. Illustration: Niklas Elmehed/Nobel Prize Outreach
The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday (October 6) decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 to Iran’s jailed human rights advocate Narges Mohammadi, “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”.
“This year’s peace prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against Iran’s theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women. The motto adopted by the demonstrators – ‘Woman – Life – Freedom’ – suitably expresses the dedication and work of Narges Mohammadi,” the Nobel Committee said.
The panel hoped the Iranian authorities would release Narges to receive the Nobel Prize in December.
“If the Iranian authorities make the right decision they will release her so she can be present to receive this honour, which is what we primarily hope for,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the committee.
On its website, the Nobel Committee further said that Narges is a human rights advocate and a freedom fighter.
“Her brave struggle for freedom of expression and the right of independence has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime in Iran has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. Narges Mohammadi is still in prison,” it said.