🔗 Share this article Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi Reportedly Detained in Iran, Per Advocates Authorities in Iran have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a what supporters call “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state. Circumstances Surrounding the Detention Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the ceremony 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. Another 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. Supporters had warned for months that she was at danger of being sent back to jail. It is currently unclear if she will be sent back to complete the rest of her sentence. Context of the Memorial Event The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have issued a demand 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 repeatedly arrested, 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 gathered crowd without a head covering. She reportedly led 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 stemming from her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules. Her supporters state she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised. A History of Activism and Incarceration Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free lengthened, possibly due to calls by 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 previously held. An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.