Iranian Family of Mahsa Amini Intercepted at Airport while En Route to Receive Award

The family of Mahsa Amini, who passed away last year under controversial circumstances in Iran, has been prevented from flying to France to accept the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights, which was awarded posthumously to Ms Amini. According to their lawyer, her parents and brother were stopped from boarding their flight and had their passports confiscated, despite having valid visas. Mahsa Amini’s death, which occurred after she was detained by morality police for not wearing a hijab, incited widespread protests in Iran. Witnesses reported that she was subjected to physical abuse while in custody, although authorities denied mistreatment and attributed her death to heart failure. In response, the European Union awarded Ms Amini and the global movement "Woman, Life, Freedom" its top rights prize. The family's lawyer expressed disappointment at the Iranian authorities' efforts to silence the families of victims and called on Iran to reverse its decision. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also urged Iran to allow the family to attend the award ceremony, emphasizing the importance of their presence and the truth being heard. Additionally, on the anniversary of Ms Amini's death, her father was detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and warned against commemorative activities; nonetheless, protests took place worldwide and he was eventually released.