Iranian security forces have violently arrested Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi, her foundation has said.
The Narges Foundation stated that Ms. Mohammadi, 53, was detained in the eastern city of Mashhad, along with other activists.
The Nobel Committee expressed that it was deeply concerned by today's brutal arrest of Narges Mohammadi and called on the authorities to immediately clarify Mohammadi's whereabouts, ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions. As of now, Iran has not issued any comments regarding her arrest.
Ms. Mohammadi was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against female oppression in Iran and promoting human rights.
In December 2024, she had been granted a temporary release from jail due to health reasons after being held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since 2021. She was expected to return to prison after this brief reprieve, where she was serving multiple sentences.
Her latest arrest reportedly occurred as she attended a memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer who was found dead last week under suspicious circumstances. During the ceremony, several activists shouted slogans such as death to the dictator and long live Iran.
Taghi Rahmani, Ms. Mohammadi's husband, revealed that witnesses reported her violent arrest, emphasizing that it contravenes human rights laws and suggests a recent intensification of governmental crackdowns on dissidents.
In the face of increasing repression, Ms. Mohammadi has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, labeling their control over life as suffocating and citing numerous threats to her safety stemming from her advocacy work.
Throughout her lifetime, Mohammadi has faced 13 arrests, accumulating over 36 years of imprisonment and 154 lashes as part of her sentences according to her foundation.
