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 memorial ceremony 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 detained along with several other activists at the ceremony 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. Another 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 risk 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 discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a tightening security crackdown, which has raised questions. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for greater transparency.
“Alikordi was a prominent figure among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated 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.”
Mohammadi's Recent Actions and Medical 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 advocates report 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 cancerous, which was later removed.
Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy
Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy 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 engineer by training, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
