Mahsa Amini's family blocked from leaving Iran for EU rights prize

Mahsa Amini's family banned from traveling to France to collect Sakharov Prize awarded posthumously. Iranian authorities claim she died from medical condition, family and supporters say she was killed. Iranian security forces cracked down on protests, killed hundreds, and executed dozens.

The family of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody, have been banned from travelling to France to collect a top rights prize awarded posthumously, their lawyer said Saturday.

Ms. Amini died aged 22 on September 16, 2022, while being held by Iran's religious police for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women.

Her family and supporters say she was killed. Iranian authorities claim she died in custody from a previously undisclosed medical condition.

In October, the European Union awarded its top rights honour, the Sakharov Prize, to her and the global movement her death triggered.

On Saturday her family's lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, told AFP that Ms. Amini's parents and brother had been "prohibited from boarding the flight that was to take them to France for the presentation of the Sakharov Prize".

She said the family had been banned from leaving Iran despite having a valid visa, and their passports had been confiscated.