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Authorities in Iran have reportedly detained 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” The arrest reportedly occurred at a memorial ceremony for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.

Circumstances Surrounding the Detention

Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was arrested alongside a number of fellow advocates at the gathering for Khosro Alikordi. Alikordi was discovered deceased in his office the previous week. Her Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated the arrest occurred in the eastern city of Mashhad. A fellow prominent activist, Sepideh Gholian, was also taken into custody at the same event.

There has been no official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi. Supporters had warned for months that she was at danger of being returned to prison. It is currently unclear if she will be immediately returned to complete the rest of her sentence.

Context of the Memorial Ceremony

The ceremony was for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead earlier this month. Officials in 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 issued a demand calling for more information.

“Alikordi was a leading voice 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, 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, 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 advocacy against capital punishment and Iran’s mandatory hijab law.

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 Activism and Incarceration

Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time free 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 continued her activism through public demonstrations and international media appearances, including a demonstration in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.

An trained engineer, Mohammadi has been jailed on thirteen occasions and convicted five times. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.