Iran prevented Mahsa Amina’s family from receiving the European Parliament award

Iranian authorities did not allow Makhsa Amina’s family to fly to France to receive the Andrei Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament. The award “For freedom of thought” was awarded to Amina posthumously. Amina’s parents and brother were invited to receive it. However, despite having a visa, the border guard in Tehran did not allow them to board the plane and confiscated their passports.

Instead of relatives, the family’s lawyer will be present at the award ceremony, Deutsche Welle reports.

Iranian activist of Kurdish origin Mahsa Amina, who advocated for women’s rights, was detained by the police in 2022 for improperly wearing a hijab. Soon after the arrest, she fell into a coma and later died in the hospital. Iranian authorities said that 22-year-old Amina suffered a stroke. Witnesses of the arrest claim that she was beaten to death in the police station.

Amina’s death provoked prolonged mass protests in Iran under the motto “Woman. Life. Freedom.” According to human rights activists, more than 500 people, including 71 children, were killed during the protests and clashes with the police, hundreds of protesters were injured, and about 20,000 were arrested. Several people were sentenced to death.

• The Sakharov Prize, awarded annually by the European Parliament, is one of the world’s most prestigious awards in the field of human rights. In October of this year, the jury decided to award it to Makhsa Amina posthumously.