International rights organisations sharply criticised Iran’s re-arrest of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, demanding her immediate release as global concern grew over her safety and health. Mohammadi was detained on Friday after attending a memorial in Mashhad for human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose sudden death has already raised suspicions among activists. Her French lawyer, Chirine Ardakani, said she was arrested after publicly condemning Alikordi’s death and speaking out at the ceremony.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar later confirmed that Mohammadi was among 39 people detained, accusing her and Alikordi’s brother of making provocative statements, leading chants, and disrupting public order. According to the prosecutor, two police officers were injured while attempting to control the gathering. Iranian authorities have framed the arrests as necessary to maintain order, but rights groups called these charges politically motivated and part of Iran’s escalating crackdown on dissent.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee urged Tehran to immediately disclose Mohammadi’s location and condition, stressing the need to ensure her safety, particularly given her fragile health. The European Union echoed the demand and called for the release of all those arrested for exercising their right to free expression. Reports from activists indicate that Mohammadi was beaten during her arrest, intensifying international alarm.
A viral video appeared to show Mohammadi standing unveiled on a car, addressing the crowd and chanting “Long Live Iran,” prompting forceful intervention by security forces. Reporters Without Borders said several journalists and multiple attendees were also detained at the memorial. Questions continue to mount over Alikordi’s death, officially attributed to a heart attack but widely doubted by rights groups and Iran’s legal community.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that attendees chanted anti-government slogans, including “death to the dictator,” highlighting deepening public frustration. Mohammadi, who has already spent over a decade in prison on charges such as “propaganda against the state” and “acting against national security,” had been on extended medical furlough since late 2024. Her re-arrest while still in fragile health has raised fears that she may be returned to harsh prison conditions that could endanger her life.
The case has drawn solidarity from global figures, including this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who said the struggle for freedom being fought in Iran mirrors battles for democracy worldwide. As international pressure intensifies, Iran faces growing scrutiny over its treatment of dissidents and its renewed repression of civil society.
