Authorities in Iran have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
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, confirmed 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 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 returned to prison. It is currently unclear if she will be sent back to serve the remainder of her sentence.
Context of the Memorial Ceremony
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid 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,” said a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been repeatedly arrested, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
The Activist's Activities and Medical Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the gathered crowd 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 incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions stemming from her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.
Her advocates report she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was later removed.
Longstanding Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She remained out even during the 12-day war 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 imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.
