Photo/Illutration Narges Mohammadi in 2021 in Tehran (Reihane Taravati via AP)

How is it possible that a woman detained by police in Iran subsequently lost her life simply because her hijab--a garment worn by Muslim women to cover their hair--was deemed to have been improperly worn?

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize, given to an Iranian rights activist, should be viewed as an award meant for the countless people around the world who face danger merely for championing the fundamental and universal rights of liberty and dignity, which should be accorded to not just women but all individuals.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that this year’s Peace Prize will go to Narges Mohammadi, a 51-year-old women’s rights activist in Iran.

Since her university days, Mohammadi has been a vocal champion of the expansion of women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty.

Her chosen path as a fighter for freedom and the human rights of women came at a heavy price as resistance to the regime in Iran has been harshly suppressed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The government in Teheran has arrested her 13 times and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison, along with 154 lashes as punishment. She remains imprisoned to this day.

Last September in Iran, a wave of protests spread nationwide under the banner of “Women--Life--Freedom.” This was triggered by an incident involving a 22-year-old woman, who, after being detained by the morality police for violating Iran’s strict dress code, died shortly afterward.

The government’s crackdown on the protests was brutal. It is estimated that more than 500 protesters, many of them men and children, were killed, and more than 20,000 arrested and held in regime custody. The government responded to the uprising with force after protesters started criticizing the regime led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in addition to demanding women’s rights.

In Iran, which is internationally isolated due to its nuclear arms program and other issues, people struggle under international economic sanctions imposed on Teheran. Elections, which once had a degree of fairness and reflected the public’s will to a certain extent, have become more of a formality in recent years with the pre-screening of candidates and other erosion of democracy.

From her prison cell, Mohammadi conveyed through social media that the fight against compulsory hijab is not just about women’s rights but is “a matter of freedom and liberation from tyranny.”

Her message resonated deeply with those struggling daily under tight restrictions on freedom. It galvanized more women to join those who had begun to protest.

In a news conference, Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said respect for fundamental human rights and democracy are “important preconditions for lasting peace.” Let her words be a warning to all leaders worldwide trying to remain in power through political suppression.

While it is undeniable that some aspects of Islam, which began in the seventh century, reflect the values of the time of its foundation, it is an oversimplification to view it as a religion that, in essence, oppresses women. It is crucial to note how the Iranian regime employs Islam to govern the nation.

With the rise of right-wing political parties in Europe emphasizing distorted views of Islam to justify anti-immigrant policies, we should adopt a cautious and well-informed approach to discussing related issues.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 7

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