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Authorities in Iran have reportedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer, her supporters state.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was detained along with a number of fellow advocates at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office the previous week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, confirmed the arrest occurred in the city in the east 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 detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Advocates had cautioned for months that she was at danger 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 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 signed a statement calling for more information.

“Alikordi was a leading voice among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated 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.”

The Activist's Activities and Medical 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 executed publicly by authorities in 2022.

Prior to her medical leave, Mohammadi had been incarcerated from November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.

Her advocates report 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 cancerous, which was subsequently excised.

Longstanding Imprisonment and Advocacy

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

She maintained her advocacy through public protests and international media appearances, including a protest in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.

An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.