Young Iranian Mahsa Amini and the “Woman, Life and Freedom” movement“, with which they protested against Iranian laws that discriminate against women after the death of Amini, received this Thursday Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Conscience provided by the European Parliament.

“The brutal murder of Mahsa Amini was a turning point. This galvanized a women-led movement that is becoming historic. The world heard the cry “Woman, life and freedom” which has become a motto for those who defend equality, dignity and freedom in Iran,” the President of the European Parliament said in the chamber, Roberta Metsola.

After prolonged applause from MEPs, Metsola called for the award to be “a tribute to the brave and daring women, men and young people in Iran who, despite mounting pressure, are leading the movement for change.”

“The European Parliament listens to you, the world sees you and we are with you”emphasized the President of the European Parliament.

Amini, who died just over a year ago in police custody after being arrested for calling vice squad for not wearing the Islamic hijab properly, she was nominated by the three main groups in the European Parliament (People’s, Social Democrats and Liberals) and was the clear favorite to receive this award posthumously, along with the movement that arose after her death.

The Sakharov Prize, worth €50,000, is awarded for outstanding contributions to protection of freedom of conscience and represents the maximum tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work.

Representatives of the movement will receive the award at a ceremony during the December plenary meeting in Strasbourg (France).

Amini’s death sparked strong protests, which for months demandedEnd of the Islamic Republic and they disappeared only after a crackdown that killed 500 people, arrested at least 22,000, and in which seven protesters were executed, one of them publicly.

The finalists for this edition were Nicaraguan Vilma Nunez de Escorcia, director Nicaraguan Center for Human Rightsand Monsignor Rolando José Alvarez Lagos, currently in prison for refusing to leave the country, who fought for the rights of their people against the regime of Daniel Ortega.

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(according to information from EFE)