Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was violently detained by Iranian security forces on Friday in Mashhad while attending a memorial, a move that is drawing strong international alarm.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The detention of the 53-year-old activist, who had been on a medical furlough since late 2024, threatens to escalate tensions between Tehran and the West. Mohammadi was seized during a ceremony honoring deceased human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose passing under unclear circumstances has raised questions among legal advocates.
Violent Arrest at Memorial Service
According to the Narges Foundation, Mohammadi and several other activists were “violently detained” by security and police forces in Mashhad, approximately 680 kilometers northeast of Tehran.
Footage circulated by supporters showed Mohammadi speaking to the crowd without a compulsory hijab and leading anti-government chants, including one referencing Majidreza Rahnavard, a protester publicly executed in 2022. Mashhad’s governor, Hasan Hosseini, confirmed detentions took place, characterizing the arrests as a “preventive” measure following the crowd’s “norm-breaking” slogans.
Hadi Ghaemi of the Center for Human Rights in Iran condemned the action, stating the arrests expose “the Islamic Republic’s latest assault on the most basic human freedoms,” where even mourning a lawyer is treated as a punishable act.
Ignoring Medical Warnings
Mohammadi’s arrest is especially alarming given her fragile health. She has spent years in and out of prison on charges widely seen as political.
- Medical Needs: She suffers from a history of heart attacks and required major surgery late last year. Doctors had previously warned that returning her to prison—where specialized medical care is unavailable—would endanger her life.
- Continued Activism: Despite being on furlough, Mohammadi maintained her activism, appearing at protests, including demonstrations outside Tehran’s Evin Prison.
This detention marks a pattern, as her last imprisonment, beginning in 2021, was also triggered by her attendance at a memorial service.
Crackdown and International Concern
Mohammadi’s detention occurs amidst a severe tightening of control by Iran on civil society figures and intellectuals. The arrest risks igniting fresh international outrage at a time when Tehran is attempting to re-engage in nuclear talks with the United States.
Khosrow Alikordi’s death, which officials attributed to a heart attack, has also fueled anxiety in Iran’s legal community, with more than 80 lawyers publicly demanding answers regarding the circumstances of his passing.
