Headline: Iranian Prison Authorities Block Nobel Peace Prize Laureate’s Hospital Transfer Over Hijab Refusal
PARIS – Iranian prison authorities have obstructed the urgently needed hospital transfer of the esteemed 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Narges Mohammadi, citing her steadfast refusal to comply with the compulsory hijab, as disclosed by her family.
Narges Mohammadi, a seasoned human rights activist at the age of 51, is currently detained in Tehran’s Evin prison. She was bestowed with the Nobel Peace Prize in October for her unwavering commitment to combat the oppression of women in Iran. Her recognition came amid extensive protests that unfolded across Iran following the tragic September 2022 demise of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who had been taken into custody for purportedly violating the stringent dress regulations for women in the Islamic republic.
Narges Mohammadi has unequivocally declared her refusal to don the hijab, a head covering mandated for women in public spaces since shortly after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. In response, prison authorities have adamantly declined her transfer to an external hospital, despite her precarious heart and lung conditions, as stated by her family. They have raised a dire alarm about the jeopardy to her health and life.
In a compelling show of solidarity, a group of women incarcerated in Evin prison staged a protest within the prison premises, spanning two days and nights, imploring for Narges Mohammadi’s immediate transfer to a cardiac medical facility, as conveyed through her Instagram account late on Wednesday.
Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2023
