Authorities in Iran have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was discovered deceased in his office last week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the city in the east of Mashhad. A fellow prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also reportedly detained at the same event.
There has been no official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at danger of being sent back to jail. It is not yet known if she will be sent back to complete the rest of her sentence.
Context of the Memorial Ceremony
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.
“Alikordi was a prominent figure among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been repeatedly arrested, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
Mohammadi's Recent Actions and Medical Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the gathered crowd without a head covering. She reportedly led chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man publicly hanged by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her advocates report she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent an urgent operation in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a suspicious bone growth feared to be malignant, which was later removed.
A History of Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be 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 continued her activism through public protests and interviews with global press, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been formerly incarcerated.
An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
