Iranian Nobel laureate taken to hospital after 'violent arrest', family says

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was hospitalized after a reported violent arrest last week. According to her family, Mohammadi was attacked by plainclothes agents with batons at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad on Friday, leading to two emergency room visits. Iranian authorities stated she was detained for making "provocative remarks" at the ceremony. Mohammadi, already serving a 13-year sentence since 2021 on charges she denies, was temporarily released in December 2024 for medical reasons but continued her activism. The Narges Foundation reports that Mohammadi was accused of "co-operating with the Israeli government" and received death threats during her detention. Several organizations, including the Nobel Committee, have called for her release.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was allegedly assaulted by Iranian authorities after being detained last Friday at a memorial service in northeastern Iran. According to her family, Mohammadi was beaten on the head and neck, requiring emergency medical treatment on two occasions. She was also accused of cooperating with the Israeli government, a charge that carries significant risk given recent expansions of the death penalty for such accusations. While authorities confirmed the arrests, Mohammadi's family was initially unaware of her location or condition. The general prosecutor in Mashhad stated that Mohammadi and other detainees are being held lawfully while a legal investigation is conducted.

Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was reportedly arrested on December 12, 2025, in Mashhad, Iran, while attending a memorial ceremony for a deceased human rights lawyer. The Narges Foundation stated that Mohammadi, along with other activists, was taken into custody by security and police forces. The memorial was for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer and rights advocate whose death is under dispute. Iranian authorities have not commented on the arrest, and it is unclear if Mohammadi will be returned to prison to complete a prior sentence. The Narges Foundation and the Norwegian Nobel Committee have called for her immediate release, citing a violation of fundamental freedoms.

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was arrested on Friday in Mashhad, Iran, along with at least nine other activists. The arrests occurred during a raid by security forces at a memorial service for a human rights lawyer. Mohammadi, who was on furlough from prison after receiving surgery, was originally sentenced to 10 years for threatening national security due to her human rights advocacy. Her husband, living in exile, expressed deep concern as their whereabouts remain unknown. The Nobel Committee has voiced its concern and called for her immediate and unconditional release, emphasizing her safety and well-being.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was arrested by Iranian security forces at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad for human rights lawyer Khosro Alikordi, who recently died under suspicious circumstances. Mohammadi, who was on temporary medical leave from prison, was detained along with other activists protesting Alikordi's death, which they suspect may be state-linked. Officials claim Alikordi died of a heart attack, but his death coincided with a security crackdown, raising concerns. Mohammadi's family and team expressed worry for her wellbeing and that of the other arrested activists, citing her recent surgery and their medical conditions. Her husband described the arrest as an escalation of the Iranian authorities' suppression of dissent.