Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi Begins Hunger Strike In Iran

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has begun a hunger strike in Iran to protest the denial of medical care to her and other inmates, as well as the country's mandatory headscarves for women.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has begun a hunger strike to protest the denial of medical care to her and other inmates and to oppose the mandatory hijab for women in Iran. The decision by Mohammadi, 51, has increased pressure on Iran's theocracy over her incarceration, coming just a month after she was awarded the Nobel Prize for her years of activism despite a decades-long campaign by the government targeting her.

Medical Care and Hijab

In addition to Mohammadi, another imprisoned activist, lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, is also in need of medical attention that she has yet to receive. Sotoudeh was arrested while attending the funeral of a teenage girl who died under disputed circumstances in Tehran's Metro while not wearing a hijab.

The Free Narges Mohammadi campaign, citing a statement from her family abroad, said she sent a message from Evin Prison on Monday, informing them that she had started a hunger strike several hours earlier. The statement highlighted that Mohammadi and her lawyer have sought her transfer to a specialist hospital for heart and lung care for weeks.

Despite her medical condition, prison officials have refused to take Mohammadi to the hospital because of her refusal to wear the hijab. The statement read, "Narges went on a hunger strike today...protesting two things: The Islamic Republic's policy of delaying and neglecting medical care for sick inmates, resulting in the loss of health and lives of individuals. The policy of death or mandatory hijab for Iranian women."

Hijab as a Political Symbol

For observant Muslim women, the hijab represents piety before God and modesty in front of men outside their families. However, in Iran, the hijab and the all-encompassing black chador worn by some have become political symbols, particularly after becoming mandatory in the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Although women in Iran hold jobs, academic positions, and even government appointments, their lives are tightly controlled, in part by laws like the mandatory hijab. Iran and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only countries to mandate the hijab. Since the death of Mahsa Amini, more women have chosen not to wear it, despite an increasing campaign by authorities targeting them and businesses serving them.

Mohammadi's Continued Activism

Despite numerous arrests and years behind bars, Mohammadi has continued her activism. She has remained a leading light for nationwide, women-led protests sparked by the death of Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody last year. Amini had been detained for allegedly not wearing her headscarf to the liking of authorities.

In October, teenager Armita Geravand suffered a head injury while in the Tehran Metro without a hijab. While Geravand's parents appeared in state media footage saying a blood pressure issue or a fall contributed to their daughter's injury, activists abroad have questioned whether she may have been pushed or attacked for not wearing the hijab. Tragically, Geravand passed away weeks later.

The Arrest of Nasrin Sotoudeh

Authorities arrested Sotoudeh, a 60-year-old human rights lawyer, while she attended Geravand's funeral. PEN America, an organization advocating for free speech worldwide, reported that "50 police and security personnel charged at the peaceful group, beating some and dragging others across gravestones as they were arrested." Sotoudeh, who was not wearing a hijab at the time of her arrest, sustained head injuries that have led to prolonged headaches.

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, expressed outrage at Sotoudeh's arrest and the violence used against her, stating, "Her arrest was already an outrage, but there is no world in which violence against a writer and human rights advocate can be justified."

The hunger strike by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi and the denial of medical care to her and other inmates have brought increased attention to the human rights situation in Iran. The mandatory hijab for women remains a contentious issue, with many Iranian women choosing not to wear it despite the risks. The cases of Mohammadi and Sotoudeh highlight the challenges faced by activists and the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression and basic human rights in the country.