Iranians Praise Narges Mohammadi's 'Freedom-Seeking' and 'Resilience in Struggle' in Their Messages

The awarding of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi, a imprisoned human rights activist, has been met with widespread acclaim from various figures, activists, and political, civil, and human rights organizations. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and head of the Center for Human Rights Defenders, wrote: "After 20 years, the Nobel Committee has once again chosen an Iranian for the award" and added: "Narges Mohammadi, the spokesperson for the Center for Human Rights Defenders, rightly deserves this award. She has dedicated years of her life to the struggle for freedom, equality, and the protection of human rights, and today, instead of being able to witness the achievements of her struggle, she is behind bars." Ms. Ebadi also stated in an exclusive interview with Voice of America that the Nobel Peace Prize for Narges Mohammadi signifies that the world has recognized the struggle of Iranian women. Prince Reza Pahlavi described the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi as "recognition of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement." He wrote in a message on X: "I hope this award leads to a change in Western policy towards providing tangible tools for maximum support for the Iranian people and their national revolution, and does not merely serve as a symbolic gesture to divert attention from appeasement with this criminal regime." Hamed Esmaeilion, a member of the Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752, reacted to the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Narges Mohammadi by saying: "What you can learn from her is perseverance and resilience in the struggle. The dark-minded rulers of our country could not and cannot stop your fight for human rights, especially women's rights, for freedom and justice, and for human dignity, with torture and imprisonment." He added: "Public opinion undoubtedly demands your freedom and that of all political and ideological prisoners, and I believe it is the duty of all democratic governments to pressure the Islamic Republic to secure your release from prison and facilitate your presence to receive the award." Masih Alinejad, a journalist and political activist, also reacted to the award given to Ms. Mohammadi on her Telegram channel, writing: "She has not ceased her efforts for human rights and democracy even from inside prison." She congratulated Narges Mohammadi and "all freedom-seekers who fight against wickedness, oppression, and corruption for a brighter tomorrow." Nazanin Boniadi, a human rights activist and actress, described Narges Mohammadi as a "tireless and persistent defender of human rights in Iran" who is imprisoned for her courageous activities. Abdullah Mohammadi, Secretary-General of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, described the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Narges Mohammadi as "a symbol of women's victory over misogyny" and added: "Resilience will pay off; standing firm and pursuing courage will pay off. The world will hear our cries." Mojgan Eftekhar, the mother of Mahsa Amini, who was killed in custody by the morality police, told the Norwegian media outlet NRK that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi was "the right action" and added: "Narges Mohammadi is a model of courage; she is our pride." She further stated: "We have thousands of women like her in Iran who are unknown to the world but have survived torture." She urged the world to make more efforts for the women of Iran and added: "We must strive for Narges Mohammadi's freedom from prison." Amjad Hosseinpanahi, a political activist and brother of Ramin Hosseinpanahi, a political activist executed by the Islamic Republic, congratulated Narges Mohammadi on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and all fighters for justice and the realization of a free society. The Iran Human Rights Organization welcomed the awarding of this prize to Ms. Mohammadi, expressing hope that the Nobel Peace Prize would lead to greater global attention to the Iranian people's struggle for fundamental human rights. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, the director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, noted: "Narges Mohammadi has fought against gender apartheid, the death penalty, and discrimination against minorities for over 25 years and has paid a heavy price for this struggle." He added: "The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi recognizes the Iranian people's struggle for their fundamental rights. The awarding of this prize on a day when Armita Garavand is in a coma due to not wearing a mandatory hijab reminds us of the oppression that Iranian women and girls face daily from the Islamic Republic." Additionally, the families of political prisoners in Iran addressed Narges Mohammadi, stating that the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to her is a national asset for all of us, especially for women and girls, resulting from patience, resistance, persistence, and the struggle against all forms of discrimination and inequality and the violation of citizens' rights. Mustafa Tajzadeh, Amir Salar Davoodi, Hossein Razaghi, Arash Keykhosravi, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Saeed Madani, Navid Mihandoost, and Mohammad Najafi expressed hope that this event would provide a new opportunity for the continuation of freedom-seeking efforts towards achieving the right to self-determination and realizing the ideals of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and enhancing citizenship rights and commitment to human rights in line with national interests.