🔗 Share this article Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Arrested in Iran, According to Supporters Iranian security forces have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was detained along with a number of fellow advocates at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office the previous 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 reportedly detained at the same event. There has been no official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at danger of being sent back to jail. 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 found dead earlier this month. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. 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 repeatedly arrested, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.” The Activist's Recent Actions and Health Struggles Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a hijab or headscarf. 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 mandatory hijab law. Her advocates report she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was subsequently excised. Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly due to pressure from activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June. She maintained her advocacy 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 engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.