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Iranian security forces have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.

Details of the Detention

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 discovered deceased 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 official statement 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 Ceremony

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 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 international 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 Activities and Health Struggles

Video apparently 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 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 compulsory hijab rules.

Her advocates report she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a suspicious bone growth 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 pressure from activists and international voices. She stayed free even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.

She maintained her advocacy through public demonstrations 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 found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.