Narges Mohammadi, Iran's 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was detained after speaking at a memorial in Mashhad for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. Her foundation says it has had no contact with her since the arrest and fears she may face national security charges after the case was referred to the revolutionary prosecutor. Officials say 38 people were arrested at the event, while supporters report the number could be higher. Activists frame the arrests as part of a wider crackdown in Iran.
Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Detained After Mashhad Memorial; Supporters Report No Contact
Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel prize (Handout)(Handout/NARGES MOHAMMADI FOUNDATION/AFP)
Narges Mohammadi, Iran's 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was detained after speaking at a memorial in the eastern city of Mashhad for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, supporters and authorities said. Her foundation says it has had no contact with her since the arrest and is urging Iranian authorities to disclose her whereabouts and release those detained with her.
Arrest and Official Response
Mohammadi was taken into custody on Friday after addressing a crowd at the memorial. Photographs from the event show her standing on top of a car to speak to attendees; she was not wearing the headscarf required of women in public in Iran. Mashhad prosecutor Hassan Hemmatifar told state media that 38 people were arrested at the service, including Mohammadi and activist Sepideh Gholian. Alikordi's brother, Javad, was reportedly arrested later that day.
Possible Charges and Case Referral
The Mohammadi Foundation said it has been notified the case was referred to the Mashhad revolutionary prosecutor and that Mohammadi may face national security charges. The foundation also said it has received no reliable information about her current location or physical condition.
Supporters' Concerns
"Only a limited number of those arrested have been able to contact their families," the foundation said, expressing deep concern for the detainees' physical and psychological well‑being and calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
The foundation described the arrest as "violent" and suggested the number detained alongside Mohammadi could exceed the 38 figure quoted by prosecutors.
Context: Khosrow Alikordi's Death and Wider Crackdown
Khosrow Alikordi, a 45‑year‑old lawyer who had defended people detained during the 2022–2023 protests, was found dead in his office on December 5. Prosecutor Hemmatifar said the lawyer died of a "heart attack" and termed the death natural, but Mohammadi's foundation and other activists have called the circumstances suspicious.
Activists say the detentions come amid a broader crackdown inside Iran. They claim more than 1,400 people have been executed this year—an allegation that international monitors have reported in varying ways. These figures and claims remain contested and are framed by activists and government statements.
Background: Mohammadi has spent much of the last decade in and out of prison for her human rights work. She had been released on medical leave in December 2024 and continued campaigning since then.
Note: This report relies on statements from Mohammadi’s foundation, local prosecutors quoted in state media and activists. Some claims—such as the exact number of detainees and details of charges—have not been independently verified at the time of publication.
