The Swedish Academy awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi on Friday for her fight for women’s rights in Iran.
Additionally, she’s a human rights advocate. The Nobel Committee highlighted her personal sacrifices.
She has faced 13 arrests and multiple convictions in Iran. Currently, she’s serving a 31-year sentence and received 154 lashes.
Born in 1972, Mohammadi is also an engineer. Early in life, she stood out as an equality advocate.
Her first arrest was in 2011. Specifically, she was helping imprisoned activists and their families.
After her release, she opposed the death penalty. This activism led to another arrest in 2015.
More jail time followed. Then, the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 spurred her. Amini died in police custody, sparking protests.
From prison, Mohammadi keeps the protests going. She’s gaining international recognition now.
Meanwhile, other Nobel Prizes have been awarded. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman won for mRNA vaccines.
The Physics Prize honored work on light pulses. In Chemistry, the focus was on quantum dots.
Jon Fosse received the Literature Nobel for his innovative writing. Lastly, the Economics Nobel will be announced next Monday.
Background Iranian Narges Mohammadi
Mohammadi’s award highlights a broader struggle for human rights. Her activism resonates beyond Iran, particularly for oppressed women globally.
Similarly, past Nobel winners like Malala Yousafzai fought for education. Both cases show the high personal cost of activism.
Internationally, human rights remain a central issue. The prize comes amid growing concerns about freedom and equality.
Just last year, Amnesty International reported numerous human rights abuses worldwide.
This Nobel Prize might just be a nudge for nations to focus more on protecting all citizens.