Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner, was taken to the hospital after being beaten during her arrest last week, according to her family. The 53-year-old human rights activist indicated in a phone call that she was admitted to the emergency department twice after suffering severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck, as reported by the Narges Foundation.
Iranian authorities have not commented on her situation, but have stated that she was detained for making provocative remarks at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad. Mohammadi's plight has drawn attention from both the Nobel Committee and filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who are calling for her release.
Mohammadi, vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, received the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her work against female oppression and human rights advocacy. She has spent a decade of her life in prison and is currently serving a 13-year sentence for charges including propaganda activity against the state,” which she contests.
Last December, she was temporarily released from Tehran's Evin prison due to medical grounds. However, she continued her campaign for human rights, even while receiving treatment.
On the day of her arrest, Mohammadi had spoken at a memorial for human rights activist Khosrow Alikordi, who had died under suspicious circumstances. Witnesses say she was assaulted by approximately 15 plainclothes agents during the event, with reports of hair-pulling and beatings with clubs and batons.
In a brief call to her family, Mohammadi complained of severe pain from the blows and expressed her uncertainty about which security agency was holding her, noting that she had not received any explanations regarding her detainment. Her health condition appeared to be deteriorating during the call.
Her family also disclosed that the agents accused her of collaborating with the Israeli government, and they reportedly made a death threat regarding her mother.
Other activists, including Sepideh Gholian and Pouran Nazemi, were also reported to have been assaulted during the memorial. Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar confirmed that 39 individuals were arrested, claiming that Mohammadi incited the crowd to chant slogans that disrupted public peace.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has voiced deep concern over Mohammadi’s brutal arrest, urging Iranian authorities to ensure her safety and release her unconditionally. Additionally, a collective statement from fellow activists characterized the incident at Alikordi's memorial as indicative of a broader crisis regarding freedom and security in Iran.
