🔗 Share this article Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Detained in Iran, According to Advocates Iranian security forces have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state. Details of the Detention Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on health reasons 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 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 discovered deceased recently. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a tightening security crackdown, which has led to speculation. Over 80 lawyers have signed a statement 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, 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 mandatory hijab law. 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 suspicious bone growth feared to be cancerous, which was subsequently excised. A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free was extended, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June. She continued her activism through public demonstrations and international media appearances, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been formerly incarcerated. An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.