Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi celebrates triumph from behind bars

Narges Mohammadi, a prominent human rights campaigner, received the Nobel Peace Prize while detained in a prison cell in Tehran, Iran. Her fellow detainees shared the news with her, and they celebrated the recognition together.

Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her tireless advocacy for human rights for all. Her dedication to these causes has come at great personal cost.

A history of activism

Mohammadi, originally from Zanjan, Iran, studied at Imam Khomeini International University, where she earned a degree in Physics. Throughout her academic years, she gained recognition for her active support of equality and women's rights. After her education, she worked as an engineer and contributed articles to reform-oriented newspapers.

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In 2003, she joined the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran, founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. Her commitment to supporting activists and their families led to her first arrest in 2011, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence. Following her release on bail in 2013, she continued her activism, particularly against the use of the death penalty in prisons, which led to her arrest again in 2015 and additional prison sentences.

The Swedish Academy, while recognizing her remarkable efforts, mentioned that 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.

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The Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi follows a tradition in which the Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Peace Prize to individuals working to advance social justice, human rights, and democracy. Her recognition highlights the importance of her activism and the enduring pursuit of these ideals.