Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe dedicates Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year award win to protestors in Iran
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe received a standing ovation after winning the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year 2022 Inspiration award.
The mum-of-one was clearly overcome by the gesture as she went on to pay tribute to the “bravery and courage” of women across Iran who have been protesting gendered oppression.
Collecting her prize at a star-studded event held at Claridges in London on Thursday, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe described her win as an “honour” as she used her acceptance speech to show solidarity with those taking to the streets to call for equal rights.
Their decision to act follows the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating the Muslim nation’s strict morality laws which requires women to cover their hair..
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe said: “Where I’m standing at the moment has taken me a very, very long time to be here now, but it wouldn’t have happened without the love, support, care and prayers of so many people around the world, most of them we don’t even know.
“It is a very special moment for me and for my family as well, I’m delighted and I’m honoured to be here.”
“Witnessing what is happening in Iran there is a storm inside me. I would like to dedicate this award to the daughters of Iran,” she continued.
“To my own daughter first of all who is sitting here amongst us, but also to all the daughters and girls in Iran who are protesting their rights in the streets of Iran, showing so much bravery and courage, but also for the new generation of girls and women who are setting examples for all of us by showing so much courage.
I also would like to dedicate this award to my inmates in every prison who have been unlawfully detained and put away in prison and also their freedom has been taken away from them for such a long time. They are an inspiration to us and to the world.”
She concluded with the Farsi words “Woman. Life. Freedom,” which have become a call to arms for the females daring to challenge the status quo in the Middle Eastern country.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was detained while visiting her parents in Iran in April 2016 and accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government.
She was given a five-year sentence in September 2016 and in April of last year was given another year on charges of propaganda against the government.
