Iranian security forces have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.
Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest
Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was detained along with several other activists 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 eastern city 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 detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at risk of being sent back to jail. It is not yet known 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 found dead earlier this month. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, 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 New York-based human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been repeatedly arrested, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
Mohammadi's Activities and Medical Struggles
Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the gathered crowd without a head covering. 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 incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.
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 suspicious bone growth feared to be malignant, which was subsequently excised.
A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy
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 stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She maintained her advocacy through public protests and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she had been previously held.
An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.
