Iranian security forces have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.
Details of 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 discovered deceased in his office the previous week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, confirmed the arrest occurred in the city in the east of Mashhad. Another 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 returned to prison. It is currently unclear 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 described his death as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. 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 detained multiple times, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
Mohammadi'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 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 related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.
Her supporters state she suffered multiple heart attacks 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 subsequently excised.
Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to calls by activists and western powers. She stayed free even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.
She continued her activism through public demonstrations and international media appearances, 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.
