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Iran Arrests Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi at Memorial Service
Iranian authorities have detained Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi while she attended a memorial service in the northeastern city of Mashhad, her supporters announced Friday. The arrest marks a significant escalation in Iran’s ongoing crackdown on dissidents and intellectuals.
Mohammadi, 53, was apprehended alongside other activists at a ceremony honoring Khosrow Alikordi, a 46-year-old human rights lawyer who died under mysterious circumstances earlier this month. Her foundation described the detention as “violent,” carried out by security and police forces approximately 680 kilometers northeast of Tehran.
“The Narges Foundation calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained individuals who were attending a memorial ceremony to pay their respects and demonstrate solidarity,” the organization stated. “Their arrest constitutes a serious violation of fundamental freedoms.”
Video footage from the event shows Mohammadi addressing the crowd without wearing a hijab, leading chants naming Majidreza Rahnavard, a man publicly executed by Iranian authorities in 2022. While local official Hasan Hosseini confirmed that prosecutors ordered the temporary detention of several participants for chanting “norm-breaking” slogans, he did not specifically name Mohammadi or address allegations of violence during the arrests.
The circumstances surrounding Alikordi’s death have raised concerns within Iran’s legal community. Though provincial officials attributed his death to a heart attack, more than 80 lawyers have signed a petition demanding a thorough investigation, particularly given the intensifying security crackdown coinciding with his passing.
“What we witnessed today is the Islamic Republic’s latest assault on the most basic human freedoms — where even mourning a slain lawyer becomes a punishable act,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran. “When peaceful citizens cannot mourn without being beaten and dragged away, it reveals a government terrified of truth and accountability.”
Mohammadi had been temporarily released from prison in December 2024 for medical treatment. Initially granted just three weeks of furlough, her release was extended as international pressure mounted on Tehran to keep her free. During this time, she continued her activism, including demonstrations in front of Evin prison where she had previously been incarcerated.
Her health remains a serious concern. Mohammadi’s medical team has documented multiple heart attacks during her imprisonment and surgery in 2022. More recently, doctors removed a potentially cancerous bone lesion from her leg and had prescribed at least six more months of medical leave for thorough examinations, physiotherapy, and specialized cardiac care.
“The medical team overseeing Mohammadi’s health has warned that her return to prison — especially under stressful conditions of detention and without adequate medical facilities — could severely worsen her physical well-being,” the Free Narges Coalition stated in February.
Her detention comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Iran’s international relations. The country faces economic hardship under sanctions, ongoing tensions with Israel, and has signaled interest in renewed nuclear negotiations with the United States. The high-profile arrest of a Nobel laureate could complicate these diplomatic efforts and draw further international criticism.
An engineer by training, Mohammadi has become one of Iran’s most prominent human rights advocates. She was serving nearly 14 years on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against the government before her temporary release. Her support for the nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022 further strained her relationship with authorities, as these demonstrations saw many women openly defying the mandatory hijab law.
Throughout her activist career, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times, with cumulative sentences exceeding 30 years. Her most recent incarceration began in 2021 after she attended a memorial for a victim of nationwide protests, highlighting the Iranian government’s pattern of targeting those who participate in public commemorations of political significance.
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10 Comments
This incident is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by human rights activists in Iran. The international community should continue to condemn the government’s crackdown on civil society and call for the release of Narges Mohammadi and all other unjustly detained individuals.
The Iranian government’s crackdown on dissidents and intellectuals is deeply troubling. Narges Mohammadi is a respected human rights activist, and her detention is a worrying sign of the shrinking space for civil society in the country.
I agree. The international community should closely monitor this situation and call for Mohammadi’s immediate and unconditional release.
The arrest of Narges Mohammadi is a concerning development that raises questions about the Iranian government’s commitment to human rights and the rule of law. I hope she is released unharmed and that the authorities refrain from further crackdowns on civil society.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by human rights defenders in Iran. The authorities must respect the fundamental freedoms of its citizens, including the right to freedom of assembly and expression.
This is a concerning development, as the arrest of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate like Narges Mohammadi is a clear violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Iran must respect the rule of law and allow its citizens to peacefully assemble and express themselves.
As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Narges Mohammadi’s detention is particularly troubling. The Iranian government should immediately release her and all other peaceful activists and allow them to exercise their basic rights without fear of repression.
Absolutely. The international community must continue to pressure Iran to uphold its human rights obligations and respect the fundamental freedoms of its citizens.
This arrest is a worrying sign of the Iranian government’s intolerance for dissent and criticism. Narges Mohammadi is a respected human rights defender, and her detention undermines Iran’s claims of respecting the rule of law.
The detention of Narges Mohammadi is a clear violation of her human rights and the rights of all Iranians to peacefully assemble and express their views. The Iranian authorities must release her and all other prisoners of conscience immediately.