🔗 Share this article Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Reportedly Detained in Iran, According to Advocates Authorities in Iran have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention reportedly occurred at a commemorative event 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 ceremony 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 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 risk of being sent back to jail. It is not yet known if she will be sent back 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. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, 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 New York-based human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been detained multiple times, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.” Mohammadi's Activities and Medical Struggles Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the assembly without a head covering. She reportedly led chants of the name Majidreza Rahnavard, a man executed publicly by authorities in 2022. Prior to her release last December, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules. Her advocates report she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent an urgent operation in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised. Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be 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 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June. She continued her activism through public demonstrations 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 given over 30 years in prison.