🔗 Share this article Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Arrested in Iran, Per Advocates Authorities in Iran 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 granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons 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 eastern city of Mashhad. A fellow prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also reportedly detained at the same event. There has been no immediate comment 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 not yet known if she will be immediately returned to serve the remainder 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 described his death as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a heightened security clampdown, which has led to speculation. More than eighty lawyers have issued a demand calling for greater transparency. “Alikordi was a leading voice 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 Activities 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 publicly hanged by authorities in 2022. Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules. Her supporters state she suffered several cardiac episodes while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was subsequently excised. A History of Activism and Incarceration Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time free was extended, possibly due to pressure from activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June. She maintained her advocacy through public demonstrations and interviews with global press, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous 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 given over 30 years in prison.