Nobel Peace Prize for Iranian activist highlights courage of Iranian women: UN

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The awarding of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi has highlighted the “courage and determination” of Iranian women, the UN Rights Office said on Friday.

"I think what is absolutely clear, is that the women of Iran have been a source of inspiration for the world. We've seen their courage and determination in the face of reprisals, intimidation, violence, and detention," Elizabeth Throssell, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, told a UN briefing in Geneva.

"This courage, this determination has been remarkable," Throssell said.

She said that the women in Iran have been “harassed” for what they do or don't wear with "increasingly stringent legal, social, economic measures" against them, adding: "This award really highlights the courage and determination of women in Iran."

Alessandra Velluci, UN Information Service spokesperson in Geneva, also said that Mohammadi received this award for "the fight that she has been conducting against oppression of women and girls in Iran."

"We stand for the rights of women around the world, including in Iran, and in any place where their basic rights have been prevented or prevented the full realization of their rights," Velluci said.

Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her "fight against the oppression of women" in her country, the prize committee announced Friday.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee also honored her for "her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all," it said.

Mohammadi, 51, "is a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter," the committee said. "In awarding her this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour her courageous fight for human rights, freedom, and democracy in Iran."

"Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes," the committee said, adding: "Ms Mohammadi is still in prison."

"This year’s Peace Prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women," said the committee, citing the wave of nationwide protests following the September 2022 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, 22, a young Iranian woman.