Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Arrested in Iran, According to Supporters

Authorities in Iran have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave 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, stated the arrest occurred in the city in the east 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 detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at danger of being returned to prison. It is not yet known if she will be sent back to serve the remainder of her sentence.

Context of the Memorial Ceremony

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 occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have issued a demand calling for greater transparency.

“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated a New York-based human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been repeatedly arrested, harassed and threatened 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 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 incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.

Her supporters state she suffered several cardiac episodes 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.

Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy

Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to calls by activists and western powers. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.

She continued her activism 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 given over 30 years in prison.