Iranian security forces have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, her supporters state.
Circumstances Surrounding the Detention
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 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 official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the arrest of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at risk of being returned to prison. It is currently unclear 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 discovered deceased recently. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has raised questions. Over 80 lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.
“Alikordi was a prominent figure 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, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
Mohammadi's Recent Actions and Medical Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the assembly without a hijab or headscarf. She reportedly led chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man executed publicly by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her release last December, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions stemming from her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.
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.
Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to calls by activists and western powers. 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 formerly incarcerated.
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.
