Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Reportedly Arrested in Iran, Per Advocates
Iranian security forces have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a memorial ceremony for a lawyer and human rights advocate, her supporters state.
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 ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office the previous week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the eastern city of Mashhad. Another 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 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 Event
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. Over 80 lawyers have issued a demand calling for greater transparency.
“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” said a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been detained multiple times, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
The Activist's Recent Actions and Medical Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing 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 incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her supporters state she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was later removed.
A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time free was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and international voices. She remained out 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 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.
