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Iranian security forces have allegedly arrested 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi in a manner described as “violent.” Her detention is said to have taken place at a commemorative event for a lawyer and human rights advocate, according to her foundation.

Circumstances Surrounding the Arrest

Mohammadi, who was released on a temporary basis from prison on health reasons in December 2024, was detained along with 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, 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 danger of being returned to prison. It is not yet known 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 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. Over 80 lawyers have signed a statement calling for more information.

“Alikordi was a prominent figure among Iran’s community of human rights defenders,” said a international human rights organization. “Over the past several years, he had been detained multiple times, harassed and threatened by security and judicial forces|state authorities.”

The Activist's Activities and Medical Struggles

Footage purportedly 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 incarcerated from 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 emergency surgery in 2022. In late 2024, her lawyer revealed doctors had identified a bone lesion feared to be malignant, which was subsequently excised.

Longstanding Activism and Incarceration

Mohammadi’s sentence was supposed to be three-week suspension, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly due to calls by activists and international voices. She remained out even during the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in June.

She continued her activism through public demonstrations and interviews with global press, including a protest in front of Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, where she had been previously held.

An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and found guilty in five cases. In total, she has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.