Authorities in Iran have allegedly 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, her supporters state.
Details of the Detention
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside a number of fellow advocates at the gathering 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 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. 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 sent back to serve the remainder of her sentence.
Background to the Memorial Event
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. Over 80 lawyers have issued a demand calling for more information.
“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.”
Mohammadi's Activities and Medical Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the gathered crowd 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 release last December, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her supporters state she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent an urgent operation in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a bone lesion feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised.
Longstanding Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy 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 engineer by training, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.
