Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi imprisoned for fighting for human and women’s rights
The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi, who fights for human and women’s rights in Iran. At the age of 51, she has been imprisoned for her fight against the local regime.
Narges Mohammadi arrested several times
The Iranian regime has arrested Narges several times. The activist has been convicted five times and sentenced to 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. She is currently in solitary confinement and has not spoken to her children for over a year.
The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi
The story of Narges
Narges first became involved in activism in the 1990s, when she was studying physics at university. At the time, she founded women’s groups and groups defending the rights of the population.
It was at university that she met her husband, fellow activist and journalist Taghi Rahmani. For the past 30 years, they have both been fighting against the Iranian regime.
After Study
After completing her studies, Narges worked as an engineer and as a columnist for several local newspapers. In 2003, she became involved with the Center for Human Rights Defenders in Tehran, Iran’s capital, an organization founded by Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.
Narges was Arrested
Narges was first arrested in 2011 for helping imprisoned activists. Two years later, she was released on bail. At the time, she began campaigning against the death penalty in Iran, one of the countries that executes the most of its citizens.
Her fight led to her being arrested again in 2015. Narges then began to strongly oppose the Iranian regime’s systematic use of torture and sexual violence against political prisoners, especially women.
Protests against the death of Mahsa Jina Amini
Last year, during a strong wave of protests against the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was in the custody of the Iranian police, Narges took over the leadership of the movement from inside prison. It was at this time that stricter prison conditions were imposed on her, such as a ban on receiving phone calls and visits.
This year, even under these conditions, Narges managed to clandestinely give a rare interview to the US newspaper The New York Times. “The more they punish me, the more determined I am to fight until we achieve democracy and freedom and nothing less,” she said.
Personal life of Narges
During her life of activism, Narges has missed important family moments. She has twin sons, now 16, whom she hasn’t seen for more than eight years. The last time she spoke to them by phone was over a year ago.
The twins live with their father in France, where Taghi, now 63, is in exile after also being imprisoned in Iran.
Narges interview with the New York Times
In an interview with the New York Times, Narges and Taghi said that the son often says he is proud of his mother’s struggle, while the daughter questions her parents’ decision to have children when activism comes first in their lives.