Iran has arrested Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, her supporters said Friday. A foundation in her name said she was detained at a memorial for a human rights lawyer recently found dead under disputed circumstances. There was no immediate comment from Iran over its detention of the 53-year-old Mohammadi, per the AP. Her supporters on Friday described her as having been "violently detained earlier today by security and police forces." They said other activists had been arrested as well. It wasn't clear if authorities would immediately return her to prison to serve out the rest of her term, after she received a furlough in December 2024 over medical concerns.
"The Narges Foundation calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained individuals who were attending a memorial ceremony to pay their respects and demonstrate solidarity," a statement read. "Their arrest constitutes a serious violation of fundamental freedoms." Supporters had warned for months that Mohammadi was at risk of being put back into prison. Although her furlough was originally set to be for only three weeks, Mohammadi's time out of prison lengthened, possibly as activists and Western powers pushed Iran to keep her free. She remained out even during the 12-day war in June between Iran and Israel.
Mohammadi still kept up her activism with public protests and international media appearances, including even demonstrating at one point in front of Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, where she'd been held. Mohammadi had been serving 13 years and nine months on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran's government. She also had backed the nationwide protests sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, which have seen women openly defy the government by not wearing the hijab. Mohammadi suffered multiple heart attacks while imprisoned before undergoing emergency surgery in 2022, her supporters say.
Her lawyer in late 2024 revealed doctors had found a bone lesion that they feared could be cancerous; that was later removed. "Mohammadi's doctors recently prescribed an extension of her medical leave for at least six more months to conduct thorough and regular medical examinations," the Free Narges Coalition said in late February. "The medical team overseeing Mohammadi's health has warned that her return to prison—especially under stressful conditions of detention and without adequate medical facilities—could severely worsen her physical well-being." An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted five. In total, she has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.
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