The 5th Yahya Prize awarded three rangers in January 2019 to acknowledge the rangers who took particular steps for conservation in Iran. Yahya Prize funded by two members of the ICS, Mojtaba Ramzi and Paridokht Moskzad, an artist couple who dedicated part of their income to acknowledge the nature guards’ difficult job, and ICS holds this prize every year. Many legal and natural persons are interested in taking part in this event by supporting the awards or event’s costs.
These rangers had chosen by the committee of the jury formed of seven environmental activists, ICS members, and a former ranger. The winners were selected based on 14 principal parameters suggested by the juries. Every ranger is welcomed to apply for this prize independently and despite his grade and experience.
The winners of this year:
Ranger Ataollah Sadeqi from Kurdistan Province (Western Iran)
Ranger Ali-Akbar Imani Berenjestanaki from Mazandaran (Northern Iran)
Ranger Hamid-Reza Azimpour from North Khorasan (Northeastern Iran)
At the beginning of the event, the families of four rangers who got killed by poachers or passed away while their duties honored.
As a Yahya Prize tradition, one of the activists who try to take and specific action for rangers honored. Bahman Izadi is one of these heroes who dedicated himself to release the imprisoned rangers who are facing unclear penalty according to army conflict with poachers and due to the complicated legal system.