Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was hospitalized following her arrest last week, her family reported. Ms. Mohammadi communicated on Sunday that she was taken to an emergency department twice after sustaining injuries from what she described as 'severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck' by plainclothes agents.
Arrest Details
Ms. Mohammadi was detained after participating in a memorial ceremony in Mashhad on Friday for human rights activist Khosrow Alikordi. Iranian authorities stated she was detained for making 'provocative remarks' at the event. According to the Narges Foundation, eyewitnesses cited by Ms. Mohammadi's family reported that approximately 15 plainclothes agents attacked her at the memorial, with some observed pulling her hair and striking her with clubs and batons.
During a brief phone call to her family, Ms. Mohammadi stated the intensity of the blows necessitated two visits to the hospital emergency room. She also reported that she was accused of 'co-operating with the Israeli government' and received a death threat, as relayed by the Narges Foundation. The foundation further stated that two other activists, Sepideh Gholian and Pouran Nazemi, were also reportedly beaten during the incident.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar confirmed on Saturday that Ms. Mohammadi was among 39 individuals arrested. He stated that Ms. Mohammadi and Javad Alikordi, Khosrow Alikordi's brother, had encouraged attendees 'to chant norm-breaking slogans' and 'disturb the peace'.
Background on Narges Mohammadi
Ms. Mohammadi, vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her work against female oppression and for promoting human rights in Iran. She has spent over a decade in prison, currently serving a 13-year sentence since 2021 on charges of 'propaganda activity against the state' and 'collusion against state security', which she has denied. In December 2023, she was temporarily released from Evin prison on medical grounds and continued her advocacy work while undergoing treatment.
International Response
The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a statement on Friday expressing concern regarding Ms. Mohammadi's arrest. The committee called upon Iranian authorities to 'ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions'. Additionally, award-winning film-maker Jafar Panahi, along with Mohammad Rasoulof and other activists, released a joint statement describing the events at the memorial as indicative of the 'worrying state of freedom and security' and 'inefficiency and lack of accountability of the authorities' in Iran.