The Swedish Academy has awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadian Iranian activist currently is in prison for leading the defense of women’s rights since she was a Physics student. Throughout her life, the Iranian regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times. One of them to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes.

In 2011 she was arrested for the first time and sentenced to years in prison for her efforts to help imprisoned activists and their families. After being released on bail, she became involved in a campaign against the use of the death penalty. Her activism led to a new arrest in 2015, and a sentence of additional years behind bars.

Still, the 51-year-old activist has not stopped her fight. In fact, the Committee has especially emphasized its work carried out since the outbreak of protests last year over the death in custody of the young Mahsa Amini, allegedly for wearing the Islamic veil incorrectly. “Since her captivity, the award winner has helped ensure that the protests do not diminish in intensity,” the Committee added.

The Peace Prize is the fifth of the awards announced so far, after those for Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Literature, and follows the one awarded in 2022 to the Belarusian Ales Bialiatski and the Russian organizations Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties.