On Dec. 6, the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) hosted “Jailed in Iran: A Story of Hope and Activism,” a conversation with author and former Iranian hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and moderated by Hanne Skartveit, VG’s political editor. The event took place at the historic Nobel Peace Center in Norway.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe shared her experience as a prisoner in Iran, speaking of the cruelty and brutality of the Iranian regime while urging attendees to honor today’s prisoners of conscience. She also shared her optimism and hope for a better future for the Iranian people.
Photo Credits: Gabriel Aas Skålevik
Photo Credits: Gabriel Aas Skålevik
Following the event at the Nobel Peace Center, she met with the president of the Norwegian Parliament, Masud Gharahkhani, who was born in Tehran. Together, they discussed how governments can advocate for change in Iran.
Keeping with the theme of the week — Iran and prisoners of conscience — on Dec. 10, Zaghari-Ratcliffe attended the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo in honor of this year’s laureate, Narges Mohammadi. Not only were the two women confined to the same ward during Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s imprisonment, but she is also featured in Mohammadi’s book, “White Torture,” which explores the devastating psychological and physical effects of solitary confinement.
Mohammadi has worked tirelessly to hold Iran accountable for its human rights violations for decades, namely at the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran since 2003. In that time, she has been arrested 13 times and endured repeated harassment, solely for speaking out about basic human rights and opposing the discrimination and segregation of women in Iran. In 2015, she began a 10-year sentence and endured 153 lashes.
Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while imprisoned in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. The CBDC Tracker is part of HRF’s Financial Freedom program.
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