Mahsa Amini Posthumously Awarded EU Human Rights Prize
Mahsa Amini, whose death in Iranian police custody sparked massive anti-government protests last year, has been posthumously awarded the European Union’s prestigious Sakharov Prize, given to individuals or groups dedicated to defending human rights.
Amini, 22, was arrested by Iran’s morality police in September 2022 for violating Iran’s headscarf laws and died in custody three days later, purportedly from a heart attack but more likely as a result of injuries sustained from a brutal beating by the police, according to her supporters.
Her death set off local protests that swiftly morphed into a national protest movement calling to overthrow Iran’s autocratic theocracy.
The protest, known as the “Women, Life, Liberty” movement, was symbolized by hundreds of women removing their compulsory headscarves in blatant defiance of the Islamic regime. The Iranian government responded harshly, killing 500 protesters and imprisoning over 22,000 more.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola awarded the prize to Amini, calling her death a day that will “live in infamy.”
“It has triggered a women-led movement that is making history,” she said. “The world has heard the chants of ‘Women, Life, Liberty.’ Three words that have become a rallying cry for all those standing up for equality, for dignity, and for freedom in Iran.”
The EU prize, founded in 1988, was named after USSR dissident Andrei Sakharov, who was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Last year’s award was given to the people of Ukraine in recognition of their resistance to Russia’s invasion.
