Mahsa Amini’s Mother Decries Authorities For Blocking Prize Trip

Mojgan Eftekhari, the mother of Mahsa Amini, strongly denounced the authorities for obstructing their family's departure for France to receive the Sakharov Prize.

On Friday, as Amjad Amini, Mojgan Eftekhari, and Ashkan Amini, the father, mother, and brother of Mahsa Amini, were en route to France for the Sakharov Prize ceremony, they were informed at the airport about the travel prohibition, with their passports confiscated.

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, was detained by Iran's morality police in mid-September 2022, leading to her tragic death within three days of critical head injuries, sparking nationwide protests.

Expressing her frustration on Instagram, Eftekhari questioned the government's ignorance, stating, "How clueless the rulers are, not realizing the impact of Mahsa's name?" She labeled the Iranian officials as "deceptive rulers," accusing them of consistently attempting to erase Mahsa's indelible memory through deceitful maneuvers.

Earlier, Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, urged the Islamic Republic to lift the travel ban imposed on Mahsa Amini's parents and brother.

The European Union declared on October 19 that Mahsa Amini and the Women, Life, Freedom movement would be recipients of the Sakharov Prize.

The Amini family has faced heightened security pressure since Mahsa's death in the custody of the morality police, coinciding with the onset of the Iranian people's uprising against the Islamic Republic.