Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been re-arrested in Iran, sparking immediate condemnation from international human rights groups and calls for her release. The arrest occurred after she participated in a memorial event where she reportedly denounced the suspicious death of a fellow lawyer.
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Mohammadi was arrested on Friday in the northeastern city of Mashhad during a ceremony mourning the death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi.
- Official Reason: Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar stated that Mohammadi was among 39 people arrested for making “provocative remarks” and encouraging attendees to chant “‘normbreaking’ slogans” and “disturb the peace.”
- Contested Narrative: Mohammadi’s French lawyer, Chirine Ardakani, said the activist was arrested after she publicly denounced the suspicious circumstances surrounding Alikordi’s death (which authorities attributed to a heart attack).
- Eyewitness Accounts: Ardakani reported that Mohammadi was beaten before her arrest. Viral videos reportedly showed Mohammadi speaking in public without the mandatory veil. Authorities also claimed that police officers received knife wounds while trying to manage the scene.
- Crowd Chants: Attendees reportedly chanted highly sensitive slogans, including “death to the dictator” (a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei).
International Response
The re-arrest of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner has led to unified international demands for her immediate and unconditional release.
- Norwegian Nobel Committee: Urged Iranian authorities to “immediately clarify Mohammadi’s whereabouts, ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions.”
- European Union (EU): Called for her release, specifically citing her “fragile health condition.”
- Media Concerns: Reporters Without Borders noted that four journalists and other participants were also detained at the memorial.
Context of the Nobel Winner
Mohammadi has a long history of activism against the Iranian government, having spent over 10 years of her life in prison. Her previous detention, which began in November 2021, was based on charges including “propaganda against the state” and “acting against national security.”
The Venezuelan opposition leader and fellow Nobel winner Maria Corina Machado connected Mohammadi’s struggle to the universal fight for freedom, stating, “That march is not Venezuelan alone. It is Iranian, it is universal.”
