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Iranian security forces 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 memorial ceremony for a lawyer and human rights advocate, her supporters state.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was arrested alongside a number of fellow advocates 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 official statement 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 currently unclear if she will be immediately returned 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 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 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 repeatedly arrested, subjected to intimidation 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 release last December, Mohammadi had been imprisoned since November 2021 on convictions stemming from 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 malignant, which was later removed.

A History of Imprisonment and Advocacy

Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison was extended, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out 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 found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.