🔗 Share this article Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Allegedly Detained in Iran, According to Advocates Iranian security forces 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 human rights lawyer, her supporters state. Details of the Arrest Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was detained along with several other activists at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was found dead in his office last week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, confirmed the arrest occurred in the eastern city of Mashhad. Another 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. Supporters had warned for months that she was at danger of being returned to prison. It is not yet known if she will be sent back to complete the rest of her sentence. Background to the Memorial Event The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province stated the cause as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a tightening security crackdown, 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 repeatedly arrested, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.” Mohammadi's Activities and Health Struggles Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, speaking to the gathered crowd without a hijab or headscarf. 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 imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions related to her advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law. Her supporters state 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 subsequently excised. A History of Activism and Incarceration Mohammadi’s release was initially meant as a three-week suspension, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She stayed free even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June. She maintained her advocacy through public protests and interviews with global press, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she had been previously held. An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and convicted five times. In total, she has been given over 30 years in prison.