Iranian security forces have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office last week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the eastern city 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 risk 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 Event
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 occurred amid 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,” said a New York-based 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 Health Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing 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 imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.
Her advocates report she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent an urgent operation in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a bone lesion feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised.
Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison 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 international media appearances, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been formerly incarcerated.
An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and convicted five times. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.
