Narges Mohammadi’s journey in Iran
By: Dipak Kurmi
Narges Mohammadi, the recipient of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, has dedicated nearly two decades of her life to championing human rights in Iran. Despite facing adversity, she has been a prominent activist, enduring 13 arrests, five convictions, and a cumulative sentence of 31 years in prison along with 154 lashes. Accused of plotting and spreading propaganda against the Iranian regime, Mohammadi, an engineering graduate, joined the Defenders of Human Rights Centre—an NGO founded by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. Presently, she is held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.
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Narges Mohammadi, a prominent figure in the fight against enforced hijab and the death penalty, has become a primary target for Tehran authorities. Enduring harsh and repetitive imprisonments, she has been separated from her parents, husband, and children for an extended period. Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, a 63-year-old writer and activist who also faced imprisonment in Iran, currently resides in exile in France with their children. The family has not been reunited since the children were toddlers. Despite the challenges both inside and outside Evin prison, Mohammadi remains steadfast, refusing to yield to the regime. Her unwavering stance has transformed her into a symbol of moral courage and political resistance against the authorities in Tehran. Mohammadi’s resilience serves as a powerful inspiration, particularly for young women fighting against the systemic and brutal violation of women’s rights in Iran. In a recent Instagram post, she reflected on the strength of Iranian women, describing them as true seekers of freedom and justice, carrying unattributed burdens for which gratitude is owed.
Certainly, Mohammadi’s narrative encapsulates the broader struggle of Iranian women for civil rights. Over decades, women, akin to Mohammadi, have been at the forefront of the non-violent movement within Iranian civil society, advocating for democracy and equal rights. Ironically, Mohammadi’s pursuit of justice and liberty has predominantly unfolded from within prison walls. Remarkably, she has orchestrated protests and sit-ins within the confines of the infamous Evin prison’s courtyard.
To gain a deeper insight into the struggles faced by individuals like Mohammadi in Iran, it’s essential to take a retrospective view of the extensive movements led by Iranian women for dignity and social justice since the inception of the theocratic regime in Tehran. Despite the challenges, millions of Iranian women persist in speaking out and organizing against regressive social norms dictated by the theocratic legislation established in 1979. Spanning various age groups and social backgrounds, these women have been pivotal in advocating for a transformation of morals within Iranian society. Over the past 45 years, they have consistently raised their voices for equal rights and societal change. Unfortunately, the Iranian regime has responded to these just demands with violence, election fraud, deception, corruption, imprisonment, and even murder as a means to suppress the aspirations of these women.
Starting with the anti-mandatory veiling demonstrations on March 8, 1979, just weeks after Ayatollah Khomeini and the Iranian Islamists took office, Iranian women have consistently organized non-violent protests for equal rights. This includes the Green Movement in 2009 against the questionable reelection of Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the urban protests in 2017 and 2018 spanning 140 cities in Iran, and more recent protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman. Practically every year, Iranian women have raised their voices in non-violent protests. However, the state’s response has been characterized by violent crackdowns or prolonged imprisonments, as witnessed in the case of Mohammadi.
Over the four decades following the revolution, the young population in Iran has experienced exponential growth. Urbanization and the rapid expansion of university education have given rise to new sociological actors in the country, predominantly women, who have emerged as catalysts for dissent and change. Despite the transformation of the 1979 Iranian revolution into a semi-totalitarian regime, women have persisted in harboring dreams of opportunities in politics, as well as in social and cultural spheres.
The pivotal move by the new generation of women activists in Iran, including Mohammadi, occurred in 2006 with the “One Million Signatures for the Repeal of All Discriminatory Laws Against Women in Iran” campaign. From the disturbing acid attacks on women in the streets of Esfahan in 2014 to the 2022 protests against the hijab, the mobilizations by Iranian women have consistently sparked significant social and political tension in the country. Consequently, it is unsurprising that, even as Narges Mohammadi gained global attention following the Nobel Prize announcement, another distressing incident unfolded – teenage girl Armita Garawand was attacked by the Iranian morality police in a Tehran metro. Tragically, she slipped into a coma and is currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a military hospital in Tehran.
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Narges Mohammadi goes beyond recognizing her individual courage; it serves as an acknowledgment of countless unknown and voiceless women in Iran who yearn for change. It stands as a tribute to the forgotten women in Iran, who endured harassment and even lost their lives at the hands of a patriarchal government and society. This prize is a commemoration of individuals like Mahsa, Nika, Sarina, Hadis, and many others who tragically lost their lives last year due to actions by Iranian security forces.
While it’s unlikely that Narges Mohammadi will personally receive the Nobel Peace Award, her voice is now set to resonate globally. Her impactful words will serve as an enduring source of inspiration for Iranian women and others facing oppression worldwide. (The writer can be reached at dipaknewslive@gmail.com)
