Tehran, She is In Prison, but She Is Our Hero: Nobel

Narges Mohammadi, Iranian activist serving 31 years in prison and 154 lashes as a punishment for seeking equal rights for women, is awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.  

In the heart of Tehran, amid the sprawling Iranian capital, a woman who has been incarcerated for demanding equal rights for women in the theocratic state, has become synonymous with courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of freedom. Narges Mohammadi, became the laureate for the Nobel Peace Prize, this year, “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.” The coveted award recognises her as a beacon of hope in a world too often shrouded in darkness. 

She is the symbol of what it means to be a freedom fighter in Iran.

Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee

Her Early Life 

Narges Mohammadi’s story is one of remarkable strength and determination. Born in 1972, she opened her eyes in a country where laws were different for women than that for the men who were accorded privileges that were alien to the other half of the population. She grew up in a world where discrimination against women was normalised in a theocratic society. But from an early age, she exhibited an unyielding spirit that would shape her remarkable destiny and land her in the crosshairs of the conservative regime of her native country.

After earning a degree in physics, she embarked on a career as an engineer. However, her true calling emerged during her academic years when she began writing for the student newspaper. There, she found her voice, championing the causes of equality and women’s rights. Her words armed those without rights with hope and courage. Those who longed for change in a society where dissent was often met with brutal repression, found their voice led by Mohammadi.

The Activist 

Mohammadi’s journey as an advocate for human rights and freedom did not stop at writing. In subsequent years, she worked as a journalist for reformist publications, campaigning tirelessly for the abolition of the death penalty and the right to protest among other choices that came naturally to all in the world beyond the shores of Iran. Her commitment to these causes led to her arrest for the first time in 2011, but it was only the beginning of a long and tumultuous battle for justice.

Throughout the years that followed, Narges Mohammadi was arrested a total of thirteen times, convicted on five separate occasions, and sentenced to a staggering 31 years in prison. Her punishment did not end with her incarceration. She was also sentenced to 154 lashes for disciplining her demand for freedom and equal rights which was outrageous to the regime. 

Yet, her spirit remained unbroken, and her resolve to fight for a better Iran and a world where every human being could enjoy the basic rights of life and freedom only grew stronger.

“She is the symbol of what it means to be a freedom fighter in Iran,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, after the Nobel peace Prize, 2023 was awarded to her. And indeed, Narges Mohammadi’s life has embodied the essence of that struggle.

In addition to her writings and activism, Narges published an essay collection titled “The Reforms, the Strategy, and the Tactics, and a book “White Torture: Interviews with Iranian Women Prisoners that highlighted atrocities endured by women in Iranian prisons. 

Not Alone in the Struggle

Narges Mohammadi’s story is intertwined with that of her husband, fellow activist and writer Taghi Rahmani. They married in 1999, just before Taghi Rahmani’s first arrest. The couple’s shared dedication to their cause turned their union into a symbol of love and resilience in the face of oppression.

In being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, Narges Mohammadi joined the ranks of extraordinary women who had been recognized for their unwavering commitment to peace and justice. She became the 19th woman to receive the prestigious acknowledgment and the second Iranian woman after human rights activist Shirin Ebadi who was recognised as a champion of peace and human rights in 2003.

This honour, however, came with a stark reminder of the challenges she faced. It marked the fifth time in the 122-year history of the Nobel Peace Prize when the recognition was bestowed on someone in prison. Narges Mohammadi is still behind bars, a poignant testament to the price she paid for her unyielding dedication to the causes she held dear.

Over the years, Narges Mohammadi had received several accolades. And now, the Nobel Peace Prize has added another chapter to her extraordinary life, a life dedicated to the motto that had become the rallying cry of hundreds of thousands of people in Iran and beyond: “Woman – Life – Freedom.”

As the world celebrates her Nobel Peace Prize, Narges Mohammadi remains a towering lighthouse of hope for countless individuals stranded in a world where speaking for oneself and asking for a life of dignity, is considered a challenge to the state. Hers is a telling story in the darkest of times, which lights the way toward a better future for all.