Tehran: The Iranian authorities have banned the family of Mahsa Amini, who died in custody, from travelling to receive the European Union’s ‘Sakharov Prize’ in her honour.
On Saturday, December 9, Amini’s parents and brother were stopped from boarding their flight and had their passports confiscated, her family’s lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani told AFP.
Taking to X, on Saturday, December 9, Roberta Metsula, President of the European Parliament, wrote “I ask the Iranian government to cancel the decision to ban Mahsa Amini’s mother, father and brother from leaving.”
Pointing out that the Amini family should attend the European Union Parliament in Strasbourg, France next Tuesday, December 12, to receive the Sakharov Prize together with the brave women of Iran.
She emphasized, “The truth It cannot be hidden.”
On October 19, the European Union has awarded the top human rights prize to Amini and the Iranian “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which her death triggered.
The Sakharov Prize, named after Andrei Sakharov, was established in 1988 to honor individuals or groups defending human rights and fundamental freedoms, marking the highest tribute paid by the EU.
On September 16, 2022, a 22-year-old Amini tragically died while being held by Iran’s religious police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code.
Amini’s death sparked nationwide protests that swept Iran for months, only subsiding in January.