Authorities in Iran have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.
Details of the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was detained along with several other activists at the ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office last week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, confirmed the arrest occurred in the city in the east of Mashhad. A fellow prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also taken into custody at the same event.
There has been no immediate comment from Iranian authorities regarding the arrest of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Supporters had warned for months that she was at danger of being returned to prison. It is not yet known if she will be sent back to complete the rest of her sentence.
Background to the Memorial Ceremony
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. Over 80 lawyers have issued a demand calling for greater transparency.
“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been detained multiple times, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
The Activist's Activities and Medical Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a head covering. She reportedly led chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man executed publicly by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her advocates report she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a bone lesion feared to be cancerous, which was later removed.
Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public protests and interviews with global press, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.
An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
