[Narges Mohammadi, Iran’s Most Prominent Human Rights Activist, Vows to Continue Fighting for Democracy and Equality
Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Iran’s most prominent human rights activist, has spoken out exclusively to CNN from a three-week medical release from prison, where she is serving a 31-year sentence for her work promoting human rights and democracy in Iran. Despite her confinement, Mohammadi remains resolute in her commitment to her cause.
“I will never stop fighting for democracy and equality,” she said. “Not even the prison walls and all these convictions can ever stop me.”
Mohammadi has spent most of the past two decades in Tehran’s Evin prison, where she is one of many political prisoners, including women’s rights activists, journalists, and academics who have been detained for their work. Her latest medical release was granted after she underwent surgery to remove a bone lesion from her lower right leg.
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Mohammadi expressed her determination to continue fighting for democracy and equality, saying, “Whether I am inside Evin or outside Evin, my goal is very clear, and until we achieve democracy, we are not going to stop. We want freedom and we want equality, so whichever side of the wall I am, I will continue my struggle.”
Mohammadi’s temporary release has given her a rare opportunity to speak to her 18-year-old twins, whom she has not seen in person in almost a decade. Her family has criticized the short medical release as “too little, too late,” and has called out the Iranian authorities’ poor treatment of prisoners.
Mohammadi has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, and her words are a powerful symbol of defiance against the government’s oppressive policies. In her memoirs, which she has been writing in prison, she writes about the sparks of activism that can spread hope in society and the need for a non-violent transition from the autocratic theocracy of the Islamic Republic to a secular government.
When asked if she is concerned about the consequences of speaking out during her medical release, Mohammadi replied, “I am not at all worried about the consequences of this interview. I have passed through all these stages, all these phases, and whatever punishment they impose on me, it makes no difference because I have my beliefs. I am standing firm, and I am chanting against the death penalty. I am against gender apartheid, against the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Mohammadi’s courage and unwavering commitment to her cause have inspired a generation of young Iranians, and her words have become a beacon of hope for those fighting for human rights and democracy in Iran. Despite the challenges she faces, she remains unbroken, and her determination to continue fighting for a better future has never wavered.
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