Iranian security forces have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside 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, stated 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. 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 immediately returned to complete the rest of her sentence.
Background to the Memorial Event
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. 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 New York-based 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 Health Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a head covering. She is said to have started chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man publicly hanged by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
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 release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She remained out even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public demonstrations and interviews with global press, 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 found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.
