Iran Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Arrested at Memorial in Mashhad

Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was arrestedon December 11 during a memorial ceremonyin Mashhad, according to her foundation and supporters.

Several other civil activists, including Sepideh Gholian, were also detained.

The gathering marked the seventh day after the death of prominent lawyer and human rights advocate Khosrow Alikordi, 45, whose body was found in his office earlier this month.

Alikordi had represented clients in politically sensitive cases, including individuals arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022. Rights groups, including Norway-based Iran Human Rights, have raised concerns over his death, citing “serious suspicion of a state murder.”

Videos shared on social media showed Mohammadi, 53, leading chants atop a vehicle alongside Gholian, with participants shouting slogans such as “Long live Iran,” “We fight, we die, we accept no humiliation,” and “Death to the dictator.” Some footage also depicted clashes between attendees and security forces.

Local authorities later confirmed the arrests. Mashhad Governor Hasan Hosseini stated that the detentions were temporary and ordered by the prosecutor’s office due to “norm-breaking slogans.” He claimed the activists were placed “under protection” for their own safety.

Mohammadi, who has spent much of the past decade in prison, had been released on medical grounds in early December 2024 while serving a 13-year, nine-month sentence. She had resumed her human rights work, attending meetings with civil activists across Iran and participating in international discussions via virtual conferences.

Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, who lives in France, confirmed her arrest on social media, noting that Mohammadi and Gholian were taken into custody at the event. Mohammadi, whose twin children received her Nobel Prize on her behalf in 2023, has been barred from leaving Iran and has not seen her children for 11 years.

Despite repeated arrests, Mohammadi has remained outspoken, refusing to wear the mandatory headscarf and consistently criticizing Iran’s clerical system.

Other prominent activists, including Nasrin Sotoudeh, Aliyeh Motallebzadeh, and Hasti Amiri, were reportedly present at the memorial.

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