Iranian security forces 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 commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.
Details of the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside a number of fellow advocates at the ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office last 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 official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Supporters had warned for months that she was at risk of being returned to prison. It is not yet known if she will be immediately returned to complete the rest of her sentence.
Context of the Memorial Ceremony
The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. Over 80 lawyers have signed a statement calling for greater transparency.
“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 detained multiple times, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
Mohammadi's Recent Actions and Medical Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the gathered crowd without a hijab or headscarf. She reportedly led 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 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 malignant, which was later removed.
A History of Activism and Incarceration
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and international voices. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She continued her activism through public protests and international media appearances, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she had been formerly incarcerated.
An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.
