Supporters reported that Narges Mohammadi, Iran’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was detained on Friday while attending a memorial for a human rights lawyer. The Narges Mohammadi Foundation said security and police forces “violently detained” her during the ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, a 46-year-old lawyer from Mashhad. Authorities also arrested several other activists present at the event.
The foundation urged the immediate release of everyone detained at the memorial. They described the arrests as a “serious violation of fundamental freedoms.”
Background on Khosrow Alikordi
Alikordi died earlier this month in his office. Officials in Razavi Khorasan claimed a heart attack caused his death, but the timing raised concerns because of a recent tightening of security. More than 80 lawyers signed a statement requesting additional information.
The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran described Alikordi as “a prominent figure among human rights defenders.” They noted that authorities had repeatedly arrested, harassed, and threatened him over several years.
Video from the ceremony shows Mohammadi addressing the crowd without wearing a hijab. She led chants remembering Majidreza Rahnavard, who authorities executed publicly in 2022.
Health concerns and activism
Mohammadi went on medical furlough in December 2024. The leave, originally planned for three weeks, extended due to pressure from activists and international groups. During her time out of prison, she continued public protests and media appearances, including demonstrations outside Tehran’s Evin prison.
She had been serving 13 years and nine months for collusion against state security and propaganda. She also supported nationwide protests following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.
Her supporters reported that Mohammadi suffered multiple heart attacks in prison and required emergency surgery in 2022. Doctors removed a potentially cancerous bone lesion in late 2024. The Free Narges Coalition said in February 2025 that her medical team recommended another six months of leave for check-ups, physiotherapy, and specialised cardiac care.
An engineer by training, Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times and convicted on five occasions, receiving sentences that total more than 30 years. Her latest detention began in 2021 after attending a memorial for a protester killed during nationwide demonstrations.
