Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi goes on hunger strike, demanding medical care and protesting Iran's mandatory hijab policy

In a powerful act of protest, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has initiated a hunger strike while imprisoned in Iran. Mohammadi, a prominent activist and women's rights advocate, is demanding access to proper medical care and protesting against the country's mandatory headscarf policy for women. The campaign advocating for her release, known as the Free Narges Mohammadi campaign, announced that she began the hunger strike after being denied transfer to a specialist hospital for heart and lung treatment.

Mohammadi's health condition remains undisclosed, but she has received an echocardiogram of her heart. The Iranian state media has not yet acknowledged Mohammadi's hunger strike, a practice commonly observed when dealing with activist cases. This move amplifies the pressure on Iran's theocratic government, especially after Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering activism.

The Free Narges Mohammadi campaign emphasizes that Iran's policy of delaying and neglecting medical care for sick inmates and enforcing mandatory hijabs for women is the reason for her protest. They hold the Islamic Republic responsible for any harm that may come to Mohammadi. This hunger strike comes at a time when another incarcerated activist, lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, also requires medical care that she has yet to receive. Sotoudeh was arrested while attending a funeral for a teenage girl who died under disputed circumstances due to not wearing a hijab in Tehran's Metro.

The plight of Mohammadi and Sotoudeh sheds light on the struggle faced by women in Iran, where their lives are tightly controlled and the hijab is mandatory. Despite numerous arrests and years spent behind bars, Mohammadi has remained steadfast in her activism. She has been at the forefront of women-led protests across the country, ignited by the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody last year. This movement has emerged as one of the most significant challenges to Iran's theocratic government.

The death of this young woman, Mahsa Amini, was the result of her detainment for not wearing a hijab according to the authorities. The Iranian regime's response to these protests and acts of defiance remains suppressive. In October, teenager Armita Geravand suffered a head injury in the Tehran Metro for not wearing a hijab and later passed away. Foreign activists have alleged that she may have been intentionally attacked for defying the mandatory hijab rule. Additionally, Sotoudeh's arrest during the funeral and the aggression displayed by the authorities towards peaceful demonstrators highlight the systemic challenges faced by those advocating for freedom of expression and human rights.

As Mohammadi's hunger strike gains international attention, concerns about her physical condition and health continue to grow. The international community must stand alongside her and other activists in demanding the release of Narges Mohammadi and the provision of medical care and freedom of expression for all individuals in Iran. These courageous individuals fight for justice and equality and deserve our unwavering support.