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Authorities in Iran have allegedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was arrested alongside several other activists at the ceremony 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 eastern city of Mashhad. Another prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also taken into custody 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 risk of being sent back to jail. It is currently unclear if she will be sent back to serve the remainder of her sentence.

Context of the Memorial Event

The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was discovered deceased recently. Officials in Razavi Khorasan province described his death as a heart attack. However, his death coincided with a heightened security clampdown, which has raised questions. More than eighty lawyers have signed a statement calling for greater transparency.

“Alikordi was a prominent figure among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” stated a New York-based human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been detained multiple times, subjected to intimidation by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”

Mohammadi's Activities and Health Struggles

Footage purportedly from the ceremony showed Mohammadi at a microphone, addressing the assembly without a head covering. 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 stemming from her campaigning against capital punishment and Iran’s compulsory hijab rules.

Her supporters state she suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned and underwent emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had discovered a suspicious bone growth 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 international voices. She remained out even during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

She maintained her advocacy 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.