In a significant acknowledgment of the struggle for freedom of thought, the European Parliament announced on Tuesday that the prestigious 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the protest movement in Iran.

Represented by Saleh Nikbakht, an academic and lawyer acting on behalf of Jina Mahsa Amini’s family, and Iranian women's rights defenders Afsoon Najafi and Mersedeh Shahinkar, the laureates were set to receive the honor in France on December 8, 2023. However, Amini's parents and brother, en route to the ceremony, faced a setback when Iranian authorities stopped them at Tehran airport and confiscated their passports. Consequently, Nikbakht took the stage to represent the family.

Notably, the family's lawyer expressed disappointment over the absence of a Kurdish translator at the ceremony. Despite this, the European Parliament, in its official press release, correctly identified Jina Mahsa Amini as a 22-year-old Kurdish woman.

The tragic incident that led to Amini's recognition unfolded on September 13, 2022, when she was arrested by morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran's strict veiling laws. Regrettably, she succumbed to physical abuse suffered during her custody, passing away in the hospital three days later.

Amini's untimely death became a catalyst for widespread women-led protests across Iran, highlighting the broader issues of human rights and freedom of expression in the country. The Sakharov Prize, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, is bestowed annually by the European Parliament to individuals or groups who have dedicated themselves to the defense of human rights and freedom of thought.

This recognition serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by those advocating for fundamental rights in Iran, and it underscores the European Parliament's commitment to supporting individuals and movements that courageously stand against oppression and injustice.