TEHRAN – The 7th Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award announced Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist, and Mandla Mandela, the grandson of icon Nelson Mandela, as the winners during a ceremony in Tehran on Tuesday.

The Award is granted to a scholar with outstanding works and a martyr for explaining Islamic human rights.

Shireen Abu Akleh worked as a reporter for the Arabic-language channel Al Jazeera for 25 years and was one of the most prominent names across West Asia, she was shot and killed on May 11 while covering a raid by Israeli defense forces.

Mandla Mandela, one of the pioneers of the new anti-apartheid wave of the Zionist regime, won the Award for his support for the Palestinian people.

The Award is granted to human rights activists or victims of human rights violations, notwithstanding religion, race, color, gender and nationality.

Iran Judiciary head Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, Foreign Minster Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a number of other officials, as well as ambassadors of Islamic countries in Tehran participated in the event.

The Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award is an honorary award that the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran grants to human rights activists or victims of human rights violations (either natural or legal persons) effectively and prominently involved in Islamic human rights issues, notwithstanding religion, race, color, gender and nationality, the website of Iran's high council for human rights reported.

Winners of the Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Committee will receive a plaque of honor and a certificate of merit as well as 10 full-size gold coins, the source added.

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