OSLO, December 13 (ANI): The Norwegian Nobel Committee has condemned the arrest of former Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, describing the action as “brutal” and expressing deep concern for her safety.
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee is deeply concerned by today’s brutal arrest of Narges Mohammadi alongside a number of other activists. Ms. Mohammadi — the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate — is a staunch defender of human rights, freedom of expression, and democratic participation in Iran,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee called on Iranian authorities to immediately clarify Mohammadi’s whereabouts, ensure her safety and integrity, and release her without conditions. “The Committee stands in solidarity with Narges Mohammadi and all those in Iran who work peacefully for human rights, the rule of law, and freedom of expression,” the statement added.
Noting the timing of the arrest, the committee highlighted the close collaboration between the regimes in Iran and Venezuela. “Ms. Mohammadi is arrested just as the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado,” the statement said.
Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has spent more than 20 years advocating for women’s rights and human rights in Iran, making her a symbol of freedom and resilience against the Iranian theocracy. In 2003, she joined the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, founded by Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate that year. Mohammadi has assisted imprisoned activists, led campaigns against the death penalty, and criticized the regime’s use of torture and sexualized violence.
Her activism has come at a high personal cost. She has been arrested 13 times, sentenced to 31 years in prison, and received 154 lashes. At the time her Nobel Peace Prize was announced in October 2023, she was imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison.
From captivity, Mohammadi played a key role in major protests against the Iranian regime in autumn 2022, sparked by the arrest, mistreatment, and death of Mahsa Jina Amini, a young Kurdish woman, by the morality police. The protests were met with a harsh crackdown, leaving more than 500 dead, thousands injured, and at least 20,000 arrested.
Commenting on her Nobel Peace Prize, Mohammadi said, “I will never stop striving for the realization of democracy, freedom, and equality. Surely, the Nobel Peace Prize will make me more resilient, determined, hopeful, and enthusiastic.”
About The Author
