Authorities in Iran have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was detained along with several other activists at the ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was discovered deceased in his office the previous 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 reportedly detained at the same event.
There has been no official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the detention 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 immediately returned to serve the remainder of her sentence.
Background to the Memorial Event
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 occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.
“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 gathered crowd without a hijab or headscarf. She is said to have started chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man executed publicly by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.
Her supporters state she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was later removed.
A History of Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.
She continued her activism through public protests and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.
An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
