Student Peace Prize laureate released

Majid Tavakoli, who was awarded the Student Peace Prize in 2013, has been granted temporary release on furlough, according to the Student Peace Prize' Facebook page. He has been imprisoned for the last four years.

– We must not forget Majid

When the Student Peace Prize was awarded in February this year, it happened without the Leaurate's presence. The Peace Prize Committe awarded Tavakoli the Peace Prize for being « a role model for all students dedicated to the promotion of peace and democracy around the world.»

During the unveiling of Tavakoli's stone on Trondheim's Walk of Peace, the former Head of the Student Peace Prize, Therese Høstad, stated the importance of supporting the imprisoned laureate.

– The biggest fear of a political prisoner is to be forgotten. We must not forget Majid.

In an interview with Dusken.no today, the current Head of the Student Peace Prize Ragnhild Fredheim says that Tavakoli has been granted a four-day leave - one day for each year he has been in prison. She has not been in contact with Tavakoli himself, but his friends have told her that the international attention has been successful.

– We are trying to find a way to extend the leave. The man who controls Majid's facebook page hopes he will be able to give it to its rightful owner in the future.

Fredheim does not believe that the leave will be made permanent now, but she says that the information Tavakoli receives during these four days will be helpful.

– It may also encourage for his supporters.

Unclear reason for Tavakoli's release

It is still unclear why the Iranian regime has released Tavakoli. Fredheim hopes that the Student Peace Prize and a petition made by Amnesty International may have been helpful, but she is cautious to state this too son.

– We do not know if this is the standard procedure in such cases or not, but we try to figure out the reason for his release. Iran have been releasing several political prisoners recently.

She makes it clear that if the Iranian authorities were afraid of Tavakoli's exposure to foreign inputs, they would not have granted him the leave.

– It is possible that the authorities are waiting to see what the reactions of this release will be. They clearly have some reason for granting it.

Fredheim states that Tavakoli will be invited to ISFiT 2015 if he is free by that time.

Imprisoned since 2009

Tavakoli was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for criticising the regime in 2009, and for calling for democracy and human rights.

Following his arrest, a photograph was released showing Tavakoli wearing a hijab. Many claim this was an attempt by the regime to humiliate Tavakoli. In response, many men posted photographs of themselves wearing a hijab, with the title «We are all Majid».