The RAHA Human Rights Award recognizes Iranian human rights defenders, who have made contributions to human rights in the I.R. Iran. Candidates are considered based on the significance of their contributions and their current situation. The 45 year-old Hakimeh Shokri is a supporter of mourning mothers and is serving a three-year sentence for her peaceful activities. Shorki, who also participated in a demonstration for women’s rights at international women’s day 2012, used to visit the families of those who were killed or arrested during post-election riots in 2009. Authorities have repeatedly targeted the group, previously named “Mourning Mothers,” arrested its members, and prevented them from gathering at Laleh Park in Tehran and other public places. She was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “acting against national security”. She is currently serving a prison sentence for her peaceful human rights activities. Shokri was arrested on December 25, 2010 when she was at Tehran cemetery to attend a gathering paying tribute to Amir Arshad Tajmar who was killed in the election riots. On 11th April 2012, she was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “acting against national security”. Shorki was held in women’s ward in Evin Prison since October 2012, but due to her protest about the mistreatment of prisoners, she has been exiled to the Gharchak prison in Varamin. Gharchak prison is known for its dreadful conditions, especially regarding those for its female prisoners. Hakimeh Shokri was selected among others by a special jury comprising the Nobel Prize laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi as chairwomen, the co-founder and principal investigator of the Freedom Rights Project and former executive director of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Aaron Rhodes and the Südwind board member and human rights lawyer Karolina Januszewski. The physical token of the award is a metal sculpture designed and made by the well-known Iranian sculptor Behruz Heshmat.
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