Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was detained by Iranian security and police forces on Friday, according to her Paris-based foundation.
Mohammadi, one of Iran's most prominent human rights activists and the winner of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, was arrested in Mashhad during a memorial ceremony for recently deceased lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. She had been on a medical furlough from Tehran's Evin prison since December 2024 to recover from surgery.
The activist, who has been sentenced to a total of 36 years in prison on charges including acting against national security, has continued to be vocal about human rights while on temporary release.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee swiftly denounced the "brutal arrest" and called for her immediate release.
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately clarify Mohammadi’s whereabouts, ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions,” the committee stated.
The Narges Foundation confirmed that several other activists were also arrested at the memorial and demanded the unconditional release of all detained individuals.
Mohammadi has spent most of the past two decades in prison for her activism. Despite her incarceration, she remains defiant. In a December 2024 interview, she asserted: “Whether I am inside Evin or outside Evin, my goal is very clear, and until we achieve democracy, we are not going to stop.”
.
