Authorities in Iran have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” The arrest is said to have taken place at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office last week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the eastern city 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. 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 serve the remainder 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 coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.
“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” said a New York-based 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 Medical Struggles
Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a hijab or headscarf. 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 related to her advocacy 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 discovered a bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was later removed.
A History of Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public protests 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.
