Jailed Activist Narges Mohammadi's Kids Accept Her Nobel Peace Prize

An empty chair stood as a symbol of resilience and unwavering fight at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo, as this year's Nobel Peace laureate, Narges Mohammadi is in jail. The Iranian activist's twin children and younger brother accepted the award on her behalf on December 10, while her husband lives in exile in Paris. “She is in prison and she will be on a hunger strike in solidarity with a religious minority but we feel her presence here,” her younger brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, said as he was handed her award.

Mohammadi is serving a 10-year jail sentence and smuggled her speech out of prison. Her children read out, "The Iranian people, with perseverance, will overcome repression and authoritarianism... Have no doubt, this is certain." Mohammadi's determination to fight for the rights of Iran's people, especially women, despite her 13th arrest since the first in 2010, earned her the Nobel Peace Prize.

Acceptance Speech

Mohammadi's children, who live in Paris with their father and haven't seen her in years, accepted the prize on her behalf. The prize includes a cheque for 11 million Swedish Krona (about Rs 8.75 crores). The 17-year-olds read out the acceptance speech which Mohammadi sent from prison, where she addressed Iran as a "tyrannical" government. 

Hunger Strike

Mohammadi began a hunger strike in early November too, over not receiving medical care as well as to protest the country's mandatory hijab law. The Free Narges Mohammadi campaign said that she had sent a message from Evin Prison stating that she had begun the campaign several hours ago, demanding required medical care for all the inmates.

The campaign stated that Mohammadi and her lawyers were denied her transfer to a specialised medical facility after they attempted for several weeks. The campaign did not state the exact condition that the 51-year-old activist is suffering from but mentioned that she requested lung and heart care and has to receive an echocardiogram.

The statement read, “Narges went on a hunger strike today protesting two things: The Islamic Republic’s policy of delaying and neglecting medical care for sick inmates, resulting in the loss of the health and lives of individuals. The policy of ‘death’ or ‘mandatory hijab’ for Iranian women." It added that the Islamic Republic “is responsible for anything that happens to our beloved Narges.”

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Iranian officials and its state-controlled television network did not immediately acknowledge Mohammadi's hunger strike, which is common with cases involving activists there. 

Another activist currently in Evin Prison, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, was neglected too, upon asking for medical attention for prolonged headaches following head injuries suffered at the time of her arrest.

Mohammadi's Persistent Activism Against Iran's Theocracy

Iranian women are required by the State's Islamic law to always cover their hair with a hijab. Narges Mohammadi has for years been the face of several protests and campaigns to challenge this theocratic law despite several arrests and years behind bars. Mohammadi's hunger strike comes only a month after her Nobel Peace Prize win.

She has remained a leading light against protests and rallies following Mahsa Amini's death. 22-year-old Amini had been detained for allegedly wearing a loose hijab and died in police custody. In October, teenager Armita Geravand died weeks after she suffered a head injury after an altercation with the Iranian police, over not wearing a hijab in the metro. 60-year-old Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested from the funeral for Geravand, with other peaceful gatherers.

Suggested Reading: Jailed Nobel Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Smuggles Thank You Note