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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 memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the gathering 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 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. Advocates had cautioned 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 found dead earlier this month. Authorities from Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death occurred amid a tightening security crackdown, which has raised questions. Over 80 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, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”

Mohammadi's Activities and Health Struggles

Video apparently from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the gathered crowd 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 imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions related to her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.

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 bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was later removed.

Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy

Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly due to pressure from activists and western powers. She stayed free even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

She continued her activism through public demonstrations and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she had been previously held.

An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.