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Mersedeh Shahinkar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mersedeh Shahinkar (born 1984) is an Iranian political activist who won the Sakharov Prize in 2023 as a part of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement together with Afsoon Najafi.[1][2] In 2022 Iranian protests after Mahasa Amini's death by the Iranian regime, she lost her right eye[3] as she was shot by a security agent. The government of Iran has called her a “threat to the country’s security”.[4][5] In March 2023, due to growing concerns about her safety and the continued pressure from the regime, Mersedeh left Iran for Germany to continue her advocacy for the rights of Iranian women.[6]
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Eye injury
Incident
On October 15, 2022, Mersedeh and her mother joined other protesters on Tehran's Sattar Khan Street, chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic. Around 7:30 p.m., security forces—some on foot and others on motorcycles—moved in to disperse the crowd. An officer fired a paintball gun at her eye. Her mother, who had been shot in the leg a week earlier, was still taking antibiotics and painkillers at the time.[7]
Aftermath
After the incident, her bloody-faced photo spread rapidly online, prompting significant attention on social media. She subsequently left the country with her 11-year-old daughter.[4]
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Awards
In November 2023, she received the National Endowment for Democracy Award.[6] The following month, in December 2023, Mercedeh and Afsoon Najafi jointly won the Sakharov Prize as part of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.[1] In 2024, the Politiken's Freedom Prize was given to her.[8]
Personal life
Mersedeh Shahinkar is interested in physical fitness and works as a fitness instructor.[6]
See also
References
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