Twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini, Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody in Iran last year, was awarded the European Union’s Human Rights Prize. She died on September 16, 2022, while still in police custody, triggering worldwide protests against the strict Islamic theocracy in Iran. Amini was arrested after refusing to wear a headscarf, a mandatory law for women. Three days after her arrest by Iran’s morality police, authorities said she suffered a heart attack, but her supporters believe she was beaten to death by police. The award given to Amini was created to “honor individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.” The ceremony for the award will be held December 13.
