Authorities in Iran have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation.
Details of the Detention
Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis 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 last 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 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 sent back to jail. It is currently unclear if she will be immediately returned to complete the rest of her sentence.
Background to the Memorial Ceremony
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 tightening security crackdown, which has raised questions. More than eighty lawyers have issued a demand calling for more information.
“Alikordi was a prominent figure among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been repeatedly arrested, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
The Activist's Recent Actions and Health Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a head covering. She reportedly led chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man publicly hanged by authorities in 2022.
Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
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 discovered a suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised.
A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public protests and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s notorious 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.
