Iranian security forces have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.
Circumstances Surrounding 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 gathering 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. A fellow 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. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at risk 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 Event
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. 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.”
The Activist's Recent Actions and Health Struggles
Footage purportedly 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 imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
Her supporters state she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a bone lesion feared to be cancerous, which was later removed.
A History of Activism and Incarceration
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 stayed free even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public demonstrations 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 jailed on thirteen occasions and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
