Iran is in the midst of a revolution — a people’s revolution driven by your unwavering demands for freedom, dignity, equality, and justice. Across cities, towns, universities, workplaces, and neighborhoods, you have risen up against decades of repression, corruption, and systemic violence.
What began as protests against unbearable economic hardship and collapsing living conditions has grown into a nationwide revolutionary movement that challenges the very foundations of the Islamic Republic regime. Women, youth, workers, students, and families are standing together, refusing to accept oppression, fear, poverty, and silence as their destiny.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi has spoken clearly about the roots of this revolution, highlighting that Iranians have reached the conclusion that the current system cannot be reformed and must end before it destroys the country they love. Years of economic mismanagement, corruption, and repression have left people with nothing except their hope for freedom.
We are deeply alarmed by the violent repression Iranians continue to face. Reports continue to document the use of live ammunition, mass arrests, beatings, intimidation, and internet shutdowns to silence peaceful protest. Dozens have been killed, many more injured, and thousands detained simply for demanding basic rights. Yet even in the face of this brutality, resistance endures.
At the heart of this struggle are women human rights defenders who have long carried the cost of speaking truth to power. Among them is our sister Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a tireless advocate for women’s rights, the abolition of the death penalty, and an end to torture. Her violent detention by Iranian authorities on December 12, 2025, amid the latest wave of repression is part of a broader campaign to crush dissent and intimidate those who dare to lead. Narges has consistently affirmed that repression cannot extinguish the people’s will:
“Democracy is not a gift, nor a given; it is the hard-earned result of generations of struggle, sacrifice, and resistance. That is why I believe, with conviction, that democratic ideals and institutions must be fiercely protected, everywhere, by all of us, at all times. Victory is not easy, but it is certain.”
Courage of women leaders reflects the spirit of Iran’s recent protests led and sustained by people who refuse to accept injustice.
We, Nobel Women's Initiative led by women Nobel Peace Prize laureates, stand in full and unwavering solidarity with the people of Iran.
We stand with political prisoners, human rights and women’s rights defenders, and the activists and civil society actors who continue to resist repression despite immense personal risk.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners including Narges Mohammadi and five more human rights activists arrested with her at the memorial ceremony of human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. All those arbitrarily detained for exercising their fundamental rights must be released.
We demand an end to violence against peaceful protesters and accountability for continued grave human rights violations in the country. We strongly condemn the internet shutdown by Islamic Republic as a serious violation of the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, and urge the international community to act decisively and stand with the people of Iran in their peaceful, people-led transition from tyranny to democracy, supported them to achieve a free Iran, without violence, war, or foreign military intervention.
To the Iranian people, we echo that “Your struggle carries meaning far beyond Iran’s borders. You are not alone. Your courage inspires all, and your resistance strengthens the global struggle for human rights , democracy and peace. We stand with you in solidarity”.
Women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
Issued by the Nobel Women’s Initiative
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Media Contact:
Daina Ruduša
Nobel Women’s Initiative is led by eight women Nobel Peace Prize laureates - Jody Williams (USA), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Tawakkol Karman (Yemen), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Guatemala), Narges Mohammadi (Iran), Maria Ressa (Philippines) and Oleksandra Matviichuk (Ukraine). Women are crucial to attaining lasting peace, and yet in times of war and conflict they are seen as victims, and too often excluded from formal peace-building processes. The laureates know the importance of women peacebuilders, and the challenges they face firsthand. At NWI they work together to use the platform and access that the Nobel Peace Prize offers to elevate the voices and support the work of women peace activists around the world.
The image used to highlight this statement was taken by Shima Dinzade, photo available on Pixabay.