Zhina Mahsa Amini nominated for European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Zhina (Mahsa) Amini, the young Kurdish woman killed at the hands of Iran’s morality police last year, was among the nominees announced by the European Parliament on Thursday for its prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. 

Since 1988 when the prize was first awarded to Nelson Mandela and Anatoli Larchenko, to 2022, when the people of Ukraine represented by their president, elected leaders, and civil society brought home the win, the Sakharov prize has recognized the work of free thinkers in a variety of fields, including politics, journalism, law, activism and art.

Twenty-two-year-old Kurdish woman Amini died while in police custody on September 16, 2022 after being arrested for allegedly wearing a lax hijab. Her death sparked Iran’s longest protest movement in the past four decades. Protesters chanting “Jin Jiyan Azadi” (Woman Life Freedom) called for greater freedoms for women, but the movement grew into an anti-government revolution as the authorities responded with violence. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested. 

Several laureates, including Mandela and Yezidi activist Nadia Murad, went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Each of the parliament's political groups, as well as groups of at least 40 Members of the European Parliament may nominate candidates.

This year, and days after the anniversary of her death, the European People’s Party, the Socialists and Democrats, and Renew Europe all announced their choice to nominate Amini in a joint meeting hosted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Committee on Development. European People’s Party’s David Lega, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, voiced his support for Amini’s nomination on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Leyla Zana, the first Kurdish woman to be elected to the Turkish Parliament in 1991, became the first Kurdish Sakharov laureate in 1995. In order for Amini to join the ranks of Kurdish figures to win the highest tribute paid by the EU for human rights work, she must first make the shortlist. 

In October, the members of the committees who hosted the meeting during which the nominations were announced, will vote on a shortlist of three candidates. However, the selection of the final winner or winners rests with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the leaders of all the political groups represented in the Parliament. 

Other nominations for the 2023 Sakharov Prize include Afghan education activists, the pro-European people of Georgia and Nino Lomjaria, the country’s former Public Defender, Elon Musk, Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate, Nicaraguan human rights defender Vilma Núnez de Escorcia and Monsignor Rolando Jose Alvarez Lagos, and women fighting for free, safe and legal abortion.