Andrei Sakharov Prize Talk: Prisoners of Conscience in Iran (Presented on behalf of Narges Mohammadi by Nayereh Tohidi)

COFFEE_KLATCH · Invited

Abstract

For me, as a prisoner of conscience, it is uplifting and great honor to be recognized by esteemed scientists like yourselves and to be awarded the Andrei Sakharov Prize. I was filled with joy when studying quantum physics at the university as a means to understand the universe. However, at the same time, I was preoccupied with the oppressive conditions in my country and the tyranny suffered by our universities, intellectuals, and the media. What we experience in Iran is a tyranny that in the name of religion restricts and punishes science, intellect, and even love. It labels as a threat to national security and toxic to society whatever is not compatible with its political and economic interests. The power-holders who believe they stand above the law and who disregard justice and the urgent demands of the human conscience, use “white torture” on political prisoners; keeping suspects in solitary confinement is a routine and prevalent procedure. I am one of the thousands of the victims of such horrible tortures in solitary confinement. You are not hearing here some random ideas of a distressed prisoner, but reflections rooted in the experience of a woman physicist and a mother of two kids who happens to have also advocated for equal rights and human rights by being active in eleven civil society organizations in the last 25 years. As a result, I have been subjected to threats, deprivation, arrests, continuous prosecutions, and finally sentenced to a total of 23 years of imprisonment, 16 years of which has to be served based on the IRI’s ruling laws. The harsh treatment and excessive sentence were not due to any underground violent or terrorist activity on my part, but-- as admitted by the judges of this very system-- because of my insistence on the rights of civil society and on human rights. Iran is an oil and gas-rich country, but millions of Iranians are deprived of decent living standards. Mismanagement and corruption result in high rates of unemployment, widespread poverty and denial of people’s economic rights. I still hope and deeply believe that path to democracy in Iran lies not through violence, war, or military action by a foreign government, but through organizing and strengthening civil society institutions. Sitting here in my prison cell, I am humbled by the honor you have bestowed on me and I will continue my efforts until we achieve peace, tolerance for a plurality of views, and human rights.

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Authors

  • Narges Mohammadi

    Iran

  • Michael Schmitt

    Old Dominion University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, KAIST , CAPP/IBS, CAPP/IBS, New Mexico State University, Goddard Space Flight Center, Caltech, Cornell University, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy Northwestern University, Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), University of Ottawa, Northwestern University, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Chinesse Academy of Sciences, Zentrum fur Astronomie und Astrophysik, TechSource Inc., Purdue Univ, KAIST, CAPP/IBS, CAPP, IBS, IBS/CAPP, KAIST, KAIST, IBS/CAPP, Cal Poly, Ohio State University, Kenyon College, Embry-Riddle (Prescott), Univ of California - Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Univ of Toronto, Montana State University, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Heidelberger Institut für Theoretische Studien, Georgia Institute of Technology, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Universit\'a di Parma, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, University of Mount Union, Univ of Florida - Gainesville, DESY, Vinca Institute, University of Belgrade, Fermilab, Ohio State Univ - Columbus, Indiana Univ - Bloomington, FUZZYICS, Interactive Research Institute for Science and Education, Western Michigan University, West Virginia University, Morgantown, Marshall University, Huntington, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Departamento de Ciencias da Natureza, Matematica e Educacao, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, UVA, University of Virginia, Brown University, Central Michigan University, U. S. Army Research Laboratory, U. S. Army Research Laboratory/ORAU, The Australian National University, Air Force Institute of Tech - WPAFB, IMPU, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State Univ, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, University of Manitoba, University of Notre Dame, Argonne National Laboratory/University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory/University of Manitoba, McGill University, Ohio University, Technical University Dortmund, Czech Technical University, Lancaster University, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Technical University, Max-Planck Institute, Oak Ridge National Lab, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Univ of South Carolina, Stanford University, Univ of Wisconsin, Madison, Harvard, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Long Island University, Brigham Young University, Radboud University, University College Dublin, Louisiana State University, University of Chicago, University of California, Irvine, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Kentucky, Retired, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory L-414, Livermore, CA 94551, USA, California State University, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, University of Texas at San Antonio, California Institute of Technology, Vanderbilt University and Fisk University, Instituto de Astronomy UNAM, CIERA and NorthWestern University, Hillsdale College, Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oberlin College, West Virginia University, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, KU, MIT, LANL, Univ. of Chicago, Leiden University, Albert Einstein Institute, University of Amsterdam, Montana State Univ, CIERA-Northwestern University, MIT, Rochester Inst of Tech, Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, None, Department of Physics, Florida State University, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, University of Florida, Gainesville, Washington Univ, Los Alamos Natl Lab, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran Iran, NIST, U. Waterloo, Tulane U., NCState, Institute for Quantum Computing, RIKEN, Nagoya Univ, Tulane Univ, North Carolina State Univ, The University of Manitoba, Jefferson Laboratory, Yerevan Physics Institute, North Carolina Central University, Massachusetts Inst of Tech-MIT, Tel Aviv University, International Institute of Physics - UFRN, University of Houston, Rutgers University, University of Sao Paulo, UC Berkeley, UMass Amherst, Indian Institute of Technology, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Max Planck Institute, Hannover, INAF Padova, Univ of Pisa, Univ of Trento, Hampton University, University of South Carolina, Ohio Univ, Ohio University, CLAS Collaboration, Lamar University, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Franklin and Marshall College, NASA/GSFC, NASA/GSFC & CRESST, University of Arkansas, University of Utah, Johns Hopkins University, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay, Department of Physics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, 65409, University of Glasgow, GANIL, Dept. of Chemistry and Physics, Washington University, St. Louis MO 63130, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Washington University, U Minnesota, NASA/GSFC $\&$ CRESST, Washington University, St. Louis, University of Minnesota, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Institute of Technology, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Sapienza University Rome, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, University of Mississippi, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon, Albert Einstein Institute Golm, Salisbury U., Ohio State U., Ohio U., Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universit\"at, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, UW-Madison, Eureka Scientific, Cambridge University, Wayne State University, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Michigan State Univ, Binghamton Univ, Youngstown State Univ, Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Boyce Research Initiatives and Educational Foundation, Brilliant Sky Observatory, San Diego Mesa College, Indiana Univ, Columbia University, UCLA, Univ. of Kentucky, Air Force Research Lab., Argonne Nat'l Lab., Michigan State Univ., Michigan State University, USA, TRIUMF, Canada, Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany, Institut Laue-Langevin, France, Physikalisch-Technische Bundenstalt, Germany, Julich Centre for Neutron Science, Germany, University of Michigan, USA, Syracuse University, Syracuse, Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Budapest Neutron Centre, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Osaka University, University of Groningen, University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Konan University, Ankara University, University of Michigan, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Univ of Washington, Aichi University of Education, eXtreme Gravity Institute - Montana State University, The Ohio State University, Universidade Federal Fluminese, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies, Duke University, Univ of Texas, Arlington, Magdalena Ridge Observatory, New Mexico Tech, Florida State Univ, Univ of Maryland-College Park, Univ of Cincinnati, Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Pisa, ICTS-TIFR, AEI, Hannover, University of Connecticut, Storrs, ANL, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, Brigham Young University - Idaho, Fermi National Accelerator Lab, University of Colorado Boulder, Northwestern Univ