🔗 Share this article Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Detained in Iran, Per Advocates Iranian security forces have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest is said to have taken place 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 discovered deceased 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 danger of being sent back to jail. It is currently unclear if she will be immediately returned 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 described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty 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 detained multiple times, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.” Mohammadi'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 executed publicly by authorities in 2022. Prior to her release last December, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules. 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 identified a bone lesion feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised. A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. 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 notorious Evin prison, where she had been previously held. An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.