Renowned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, known for her tireless fight for women's rights, democracy, and against the death penalty in Iran, will be awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in absentia.
Her twin 17-year-old children, Ali and Kiana Rahmani, currently living in exile in Paris with their father, will receive the award on their mother's behalf at Oslo City Hall.
They will also deliver the Nobel Peace Prize lecture in her name.
Mohammadi, currently imprisoned in Tehran, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize in October for her decades of activism despite facing numerous arrests and years of imprisonment by Iranian authorities.
At a press conference in Oslo, Kiana read a message from her mother, expressing gratitude to the international media for amplifying the voices of dissenters, protesters, and human rights defenders worldwide.
Mohammadi highlighted the crucial role of journalists in the struggle against the oppressive Iranian government.
While holding little hope for her imminent release, Kiana emphasized that her mother's values and the fight for justice will continue to inspire her.
Mohammadi's brother and husband revealed her plan to go on a hunger strike on Sunday in support of the persecuted Baha'i religious minority in Iran.
Her husband, Taghi, further shared that he hasn't seen his wife in 11 years, and their children haven't seen her for seven.
Mohammadi played a leading role in the protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in police custody for allegedly violating the country's strict headscarf law.
In another concerning development, Iranian authorities denied travel permits to Amini's family members, preventing them from accepting the European Union's top human rights prize, the Sakharov Prize, on her behalf.
Mohammadi becomes the 19th woman and the second Iranian woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, following Shirin Ebadi's 2003 win. This also marks the fifth time in the award's history that the peace prize has been bestowed upon someone imprisoned or under house arrest.
The remaining Nobel Prizes for 2023 will be awarded in separate ceremonies in Stockholm later on Sunday.
