Three Iranian women journalists imprisoned in Iran have won the UNESCO Prize for Freedom of the Press, the organization announced Tuesday night, for their “commitment to truth and accountability.”
Three Iranian women journalists imprisoned in Iran have won the UNESCO Prize for Freedom of the Press, the organization announced Tuesday night, for their “commitment to truth and accountability.”
The winners are Niloufar Hamidi, who broke the news of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last September while in the custody of the morality police for not adhering to the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code, and Elah Mohammadi, who wrote about her funeral.
Amini’s death sparked months of protests in dozens of cities across Iran. The demonstrations have posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 2009 Green Movement protests that drew millions to the streets.
The third winner is Narges Mohammadi, who worked for many years as a journalist and is one of the most prominent activists in Iran.
The UNESCO Prize for Freedom of the Press is named after Guillermo Cano, the Colombian journalist who was assassinated in front of the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in the capital, Bogota, on December 17, 1986.
The prize has been awarded by UNESCO to coincide with World Press Freedom Day on May 3 since 1997.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay announced the winners at a ceremony in New York, saying: “Now more than ever, it is important to pay tribute to all women journalists who are prevented from doing their jobs and face threats and attacks on their personal safety…”.
Zainab Salbi, chairperson of the international media jury that selected the winners, said that the winners’ brave work “led to a historic revolution led by women.”
“They have paid a heavy price for their commitment to reporting and imparting the truth and for that, we are committed to honoring them and ensuring that their voice continues to resonate around the world…” she added.
In late April, the Iranian judiciary acknowledged that two reporters reported news of Amini’s death, and they are Nilofar Rahmedi, who works for the “Sharq” newspaper, and Elah Mohammadi, who works for the “Ham Mihan” newspaper, and they were charged with collaborating with the United States and acting against national security. , creating “propaganda against the system”.
Narges Mohammadi has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by the authorities, and UNESCO said that Mohammadi is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in Evin Prison.
Mohammadi has won recognition abroad for her work and activism against the death penalty in Iran.
