Rights Groups Condemn Reported Re-Arrest of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi in Iran

Post by : Saif Nasser

International human rights organisations have strongly criticised Iran following reports that Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been re-arrested. The news has sparked global concern, with calls for Iranian authorities to clearly explain where she is being held and to ensure her safety.

According to Mohammadi’s French lawyer, Chirine Ardakani, the well-known human rights activist was arrested on Friday in the northeastern city of Mashhad. The arrest reportedly took place after Mohammadi spoke publicly at a memorial ceremony for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose recent death has raised serious questions among rights groups.

Alikordi was found dead in his office earlier this month. Iranian authorities said he died of a heart attack, but many human rights organisations have demanded an independent investigation. At the memorial event, attendees reportedly voiced anger and suspicion over his death, chanting slogans that authorities later described as violating public norms.

Iranian officials have not officially confirmed Mohammadi’s arrest. However, Mashhad’s city governor said prosecutors ordered the temporary detention of several people who attended the memorial. He did not name Mohammadi directly.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awarded Mohammadi the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, issued a strong statement. It urged Iranian authorities to immediately clarify her whereabouts, protect her physical safety, and release her without any conditions.

Videos shared widely on social media appear to show Mohammadi standing on a car, holding a microphone, and chanting patriotic slogans in front of a crowd. She is seen without Iran’s mandatory head covering, an act that often leads to harsh punishment. Her lawyer has claimed that Mohammadi was beaten before being taken into custody, and her current location remains unknown.

Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said that at least four journalists were also arrested at the memorial ceremony. Other rights organisations reported that the crowd shouted slogans against Iran’s top leadership, reflecting growing public anger and frustration.

Narges Mohammadi has spent more than a decade in prison for her activism. She has been repeatedly charged with crimes such as spreading propaganda, acting against national security, and belonging to banned groups. Despite long prison terms, she has remained a powerful voice for women’s rights, free expression, and justice in Iran.

The reported re-arrest has once again drawn attention to Iran’s treatment of activists and journalists. Rights groups say the case shows the urgent need for greater international pressure to protect basic freedoms and prevent the silencing of peaceful voices.