Key Points
- Mahsa Amini died in police custody in Iran last year.
- This year's Sakharov Prize was awarded to Amini and the global movement her death triggered.
- Her family was blocked from boarding a flight to France to collect the award.
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.
, 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 human 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 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.
Ardakani said Iranian authorities "have never been so mobilised to prevent the families of the victims from speaking to the international community".
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged Iran to reverse its move.
"I call on Iran's regime to retract the decision to ban Mahsa Amini's mother, father and brother from travelling," she said on social media.
"Their place next Tuesday is at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to receive the Sakharov Prize, with the brave women of Iran. The truth cannot be silenced."
The Sakharov Prize, which comes with a 50,000-euro ($82,000) endowment, was to be handed over in a European Parliament ceremony on 13 December.
It also generated a global movement known as Woman, Life, Freedom, calling for the end of Iran's imposition of a headscarf on all women and an end to the Muslim cleric-led government in Tehran.
Iranian security forces have cracked down on the protests domestically, killing hundreds, and have executed dozens for allegedly participating in what officials have called "riots".
The Woman, Life, Freedom campaign continues in cities around the world, with frequent demonstrations in which Amini's photo is held aloft.
