The teenage children of jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi fear they will never meet their mother again, but said they were proud of her struggle for women’s rights as they prepared to accept the award on her behalf on Sunday.
Mohammadi, 51, who is serving multiple sentences in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on charges including spreading propaganda, won the award on Oct. 6 in a rebuke to Tehran’s theocratic leaders, prompting the Islamic Republic’s condemnation.
Her twin 17-year-old children, Ali and Kiana Rahman, who live in exile in Paris, are due to accept the award at Oslo’s City Hall and give the Nobel Peace Prize lecture on her behalf.
In a letter smuggled out of prison and published by Swedish broadcaster SVT this week, Mohammadi said she would continue to fight for human rights even if it led to her death. But she said she missed her children the most.
Kiana Rahman, who last saw her mother eight years ago, said: “When it comes to seeing her again, personally I am very pessimistic.”
“Maybe I’ll see her in 30 or 40 years, but I think I won’t see her again,” she told a press conference via a translator. “But that doesn’t matter because my mother will always live on in my heart and with my family.”
Mohammadi was awarded the Peace Prize just over a year after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of Iranian morality police after being detained for allegedly violating the rules of wearing a hijab, an Islamic headscarf.
Amini’s death provoked months of nationwide protests that posed the biggest challenge to Shiite clerical rule in years and was met with a deadly security crackdown costing several hundred lives.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the award for Mohammadi also recognized hundreds of thousands who had demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies discriminating and oppressing women.
Iran has called the protests Western-led subversion, accusing the Nobel committee of meddling and politicizing human rights.
Mohammadi’s son Ali said he had accepted from early childhood that the family would live apart but said he would stay optimistic he might see her again.
“If we don’t see her again, we will always be proud of her and go on with our struggle,” he said.
Mohammadi’s husband Taghi Rahmani said the award would give her a larger voice even if her own conditions were likely to become more difficult.
“It’s a political prize and therefore there will be more pressure on Narges, but at the same time, it is going to create a space for echoing the voice of the people,” said Rahmani, who will also attend Sunday’s ceremony.
Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the prize, which today is worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or around $1 million, and the fifth person to win it while in detention.
It is awarded on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895 will.
The courageous struggle of Narges Mohammadi for women’s rights in Iran has been recognized with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Despite being imprisoned and separated from her children, Mohammadi’s determination to fight for human rights remains unwavering. Her twin children, Ali and Kiana Rahman, who live in exile in Paris, will accept the award on her behalf and deliver the Nobel Peace Prize lecture.
In a heartfelt letter smuggled out of prison and published by Swedish broadcaster SVT, Mohammadi expressed her unwavering commitment to human rights and her longing for her children. Kiana Rahman, who last saw her mother eight years ago, acknowledges the slim chances of reuniting with her but takes solace in the fact that her mother’s legacy will endure in their hearts and within their family.
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Mohammadi comes in the wake of the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died while in custody for allegedly violating the rules of wearing a hijab. Amini’s death sparked widespread protests against the oppressive regime, posing a significant challenge to Shiite clerical rule and resulting in a brutal security crackdown.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognizes Mohammadi’s tireless efforts for women’s rights and her role as a symbol for the hundreds of thousands who have demonstrated against the discriminatory policies of the theocratic regime. However, Iran has dismissed these protests as Western-led subversion, accusing the Nobel committee of politicizing human rights.
Despite the uncertainty of ever seeing their mother again, Ali remains optimistic about a potential reunion. He acknowledges that their family has accepted living apart but emphasizes their unwavering pride in Mohammadi’s struggle and their determination to continue fighting for justice.
Mohammadi’s husband, Taghi Rahmani, believes that the Nobel Peace Prize will amplify her voice, even if it brings additional pressure and challenges. He acknowledges that the award holds political significance and hopes that it will create a platform for echoing the voices of the Iranian people.
As the 19th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, Mohammadi joins a prestigious group of individuals who have made significant contributions to peace and justice. The award not only recognizes her personal sacrifices but also sheds light on the plight of countless others who have been unjustly detained.
On December 10th, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, Mohammadi’s children will accept the award on her behalf. The Nobel Peace Prize serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for human rights and the need to support those who fight for justice, even in the face of adversity.