Children of Incarcerated Activist Brace for Future Without Her as She Receives Nobel Prize
Amidst the anticipation of accepting her Nobel prize, the heart-wrenching reality dawns upon the children of the incarcerated activist - they fear they may never have the chance to be reunited with their beloved mother
Ali Rahmani understood from a young age that his family's life would never be ordinary. He recalls the Iranian Revolutionary Guard apprehending his father, and from then on, he and his twin sister Kianas have experienced a cycle of arrests, separation, and exile. When one parent is around, the other is in prison.
At the age of 17, the siblings will receive the Nobel Peace Prize this Sunday on behalf of their mother, Narges Mohammadi, a well-known Iranian activist who is currently imprisoned. They will deliver the Nobel lecture that was smuggled out of the infamous Evin prison.
"Imagining the crowd, I can already see us standing there, delivering the speech," Kiana tells CNN as they visit the Oslo City Hall where the esteemed ceremony will take place.
They walk through the simple seating arrangement, surrounded by towering murals, making their way towards the stage. Standing next to a portrait of their mother adorned with purple orchids, Kiana says, "We have to live up to all of this. There will be a lot of important people here... This is really about mentally preparing ourselves."
The two siblings have not seen their mother since they were eight years old and haven't spoken to her in nearly two years due to increased restrictions on communication that became even more severe leading up to the ceremony. Because of her activism, advocating for human rights, supporting political prisoners, and speaking out against the death penalty, Mohammadi and her family have paid a heavy price.
A portrait of Narges Mohammadi at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.
Sergei Gapon/Anadolu/Getty Images
She has been arrested 13 times, convicted for five and sentenced to a total of 31 years and 154 lashes.
"We take great pride in all that she has accomplished. It's disheartening that she isn't here, as she should be the one in the spotlight. It's our mother's right, but we will do our utmost to speak for her and convey the situation in Iran," Ali explains.
The burden of representing not only their mother, but also their people, is a heavy one.
Kiana emphasizes that they are fighting not only for themselves and their families, but also for freedom, democracy, and the Women's Life Freedom movement. This statement is in reference to the widespread protests that erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jhina Amini while in the custody of Iran's morality police in 2022.
They are not alone in their journey. In Oslo, they receive support from members of the Iranian diaspora who, like their parents, have endured years of imprisonment or exile as a consequence of their opposition to the regime.
Disney mom
They say they understand and accept the sacrifice, despite the impact it has had on their lives. Theyve lived with their father in self exile in France since 2015.
Kiana tells CNN that there were times in her life when she longed for her mother to be by her side. "During puberty, when your body is changing, those are the times you would typically turn to your mom with questions," she explains. "But I had no one to ask, so I had to navigate it on my own. I wished she could have taken me shopping, taught me how to wear makeup, and guided me through the changes in my body."
She holds on to the cherished memories of her mother from her childhood. "I would describe her as a bit like a Disney mom, like the ones you see in the movies," Kiana says. "When we were hungry, we could have as much ice cream as we wanted. And if we wanted seconds, we could always help ourselves. She did everything she could to make sure we were comfortable and had stability in our lives. She fulfilled both roles really well, just like my father does now."
The last time they hugged her was on the day she was arrested, when they were not yet nine years old. She had made them breakfast and sent them off to school, but when they came back, she was no longer there.
Both Ali and Kiana find comfort in a simple understanding. Despite their worries about their mother's declining health, they believe that the international attention and pressure on Iran could be the key to saving her life.
Ali remarks on the distressing impact of the political prisoners' executions and the deaths of hundreds during protests. "Many of our fellow citizens have lost their parents and siblings," he observes.
"I'm grateful that she's still with us. It's heartbreaking to think of those who have lost their loved ones," Kiana adds.
Recognition
On the day before the ceremony, it was announced that Mohammadi would begin another hunger strike to protest human rights violations in Iran and the violation of civil rights of the Bahais, a religious minority in the country.
During their pre-ceremony tour, they encountered Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, who acknowledged Mohammadis fight against "systematic discrimination and oppression" when she announced his Nobel win on October 6. She urged the Iranian government to release Mohammadi.
"I am deeply saddened and believe it is a disgrace for Iran to continue imprisoning someone who has been acknowledged and deemed deserving of the peace prize. My thoughts are constantly with her, and it is heartbreaking that she will not be able to partake in this momentous occasion," Reiss-Andersen expresses to CNN after meeting the twins. "However, I also find solace in the fact that her children and husband are representing her wonderfully," she adds.
The twins are given the opportunity to view the exhibition commemorating their mother's activism at the Nobel Peace Center.
Since the 1990s, Mohammadi has been a strong advocate for women's rights and democracy. She has also worked with the banned Defenders of Human Rights Center, which was founded by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Peace prize laureate. The exhibition also features a picture of Shirin Ebadi. The museum walls are adorned with photos from the siblings' childhood as well as rare moments when the small family was together and smiling. In one corner, there is a display that recreates the solitary confinement experienced by their parents. Ali and Kiana even count the steps, reminiscent of their mother and father's confinement. Ali recalls how their father, Tagi Rahmani, who was a political prisoner for 14 years, would walk back and forth to keep sane, finding solace in the engravings left by previous prisoners on the walls.
Jailed Iranian women's rights advocate Narges Mohammadi.
Reihane Taravati/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images
Its a type of "white torture" their mother documented in agonizing detail in a book she wrote in prison, also featured in the museum.
Mohammadi remains undeterred by prison. While she was unable to witness the mass protests against the theocratical regime in Iran in 2022, audio recordings smuggled out of prison reveal her leading fellow inmates in the iconic "Women, Life, Freedom" chant of the protests. Despite her increasing prison sentences for various charges, including conspiring against national security and spreading false propaganda, she continues to tirelessly work to expose sexual assault against political detainees. This summer, she facilitated a written interview with CNN through intermediaries.
She has made a commitment to never give up, even if it means being imprisoned for the rest of her life.
"I don't have much hope of ever seeing [my mother] again. She still has 10 years left on her sentence and every time she does something, like sending out the speech for our ceremony, it just adds more time," Kiana explains. "She will always be in my heart, and I've come to terms with that because the fight for women's rights, and for freedom and democracy, is worth it. It's all worth the sacrifices made."
