Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, a courageous voice for human rights, was violently arrested last week in Iran, sparking international outrage and deep concern for her well-being. Supporters confirmed Monday that Mohammadi was taken to the hospital twice after sustaining severe injuries during her detention.
The incident unfolded on Friday when Mohammadi attended a memorial ceremony in Mashhad for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose death has been labeled suspicious by rights groups. During the event, plain-clothed agents reportedly attacked Mohammadi with “severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck” before her violent arrest.
In a brief, strained phone call to her family, Mohammadi described the brutality, stating the blows were so intense she required emergency hospital care twice, and that her physical condition was “not good.” Her brother in Norway corroborated the brutal beating.
This isn’t Mohammadi’s first clash with Iranian authorities; she has spent much of the last decade in and out of jail for her unwavering activism. Despite a medical leave in late 2024, she continued her courageous campaigning, even appearing at the memorial without the obligatory headscarf, addressing crowds chanting against the government.
Fellow activists and the Nobel Peace Committee are demanding her “immediate and unconditional release.” The Nobel committee condemned her “brutal” arrest, urging Iranian authorities to clarify her whereabouts and release her immediately. Mohammadi herself has requested her family file a formal complaint against the security forces, who accused her of “cooperating with the Israeli government” – a charge that remains unconfirmed. This incident underscores the alarming state of freedom and human rights in Iran, as activists continue to face harsh crackdowns.
