Iranian security forces have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” Her detention 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 detained along with several other activists at the ceremony for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was discovered deceased 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 detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned 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 stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.
“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 detained multiple times, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”
The Activist's Recent Actions 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 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 malignant, which was later removed.
A History of 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 international voices. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
She continued her activism through public demonstrations and interviews with global press, including a protest in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.
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.
