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Authorities in Iran have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, according to her foundation.

Details of 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 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 eastern city of Mashhad. A fellow prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also taken into custody at the same event.

There has been no official statement 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 not yet known if she will be sent back 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 occurred amid a tightening security crackdown, which has raised questions. More than eighty lawyers have issued a demand calling for more information.

“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated 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 Activities and Health Struggles

Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing 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 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 advocates report 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 later removed.

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 international voices. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

She continued her activism through public protests and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she had been formerly incarcerated.

An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.