🔗 Share this article Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Arrested in Iran, Per Supporters Iranian security forces have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation. Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was detained along with several other activists at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was discovered deceased in his office the previous week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the eastern city of Mashhad. Another 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. Supporters had warned for months that she was at risk of being sent back to jail. It is currently unclear 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 discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. 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,” 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.” Mohammadi's Recent Actions and Medical Struggles Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing 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 medical leave, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from her advocacy 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 discovered a suspicious bone growth feared to be malignant, which was subsequently excised. Longstanding 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 western powers. She stayed free even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June. She continued her activism through public protests and international media appearances, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held. An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.