In brief
Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and activist for women's rights, was arrested by Iranian security forces in Mashhad. Her foundation called for her immediate release amidst ongoing crackdowns on activists in the country. Mohammadi, previously imprisoned for her activism, continues to face severe reprisals from the Iranian authorities. This arrest raises concerns over human rights violations in Iran as tensions continue to escalate.
Iranian security forces have violently arrested Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi, her foundation has said.
The Narges Foundation reported that her brother confirmed Ms. Mohammadi was detained in the eastern city of Mashhad, alongside other activists. The foundation has called for the immediate release of the 53-year-old and her fellow detainees. Iran has yet to comment on the situation.
Ms. Mohammadi was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against female oppression in Iran and her commitment to promoting human rights.
In December 2024, she was granted a temporary release from jail for medical reasons, after having been incarcerated in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since 2021. She was expected to return to prison shortly after.
The latest arrest occurred while she was attending a memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer who was found dead in his office last week. Human rights groups have called for an independent inquiry into his death, citing suspicious circumstances.
Several activists were detained at the memorial, where they reportedly shouted slogans demanding an end to the current regime. Taghi Rahmani, Ms. Mohammadi's husband, stated, They arrested Narges violently. This act is against human rights laws, and amounts to some kind of revenge. The crackdown has intensified recently.
Ms. Mohammadi had recently accused the Iranian government of increasing its repression since a ceasefire with Israel in June. Last week, she wrote an article for Time magazine, highlighting how the Iranian state controls numerous aspects of both public and personal life with intrusive measures like surveillance and arbitrary arrests.
Despite ongoing threats to her safety from regime agents, she has remained defiant, continuing to advocate for her cause and refuse mandatory headscarf laws.
Throughout her life, Mohammadi has faced arrest 13 times, resulting in over 36 years of imprisonment and 154 lashes, as documented by her foundation.
