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Nobel laureate beaten during arrest, family reports
Narges Mohammadi, the Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was hospitalized after being assaulted by plainclothes security agents during her detention last week, her family said on Sunday.
Attack details emerge
In a brief phone call with relatives, Mohammadi described being struck repeatedly with batons on the head and neck by approximately 15 agents at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad. The Narges Foundation, which released a statement on her behalf, said she was taken to an emergency department twice due to the severity of the blows.
Eyewitnesses told her family that agents pulled her hair and continued beating her even after she was subdued. Mohammadi also reported being threatened with death, with agents allegedly telling her, "We will put your mother into mourning." She remains uncertain about which security agency is holding her.
Arrest and charges
Mohammadi, 53, was detained on Friday at a memorial for Khosrow Alikordi, a human rights lawyer whose recent death has been labeled "suspicious" by activists. Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar stated that 39 people were arrested at the event, accusing Mohammadi and Alikordi's brother, Javad, of inciting attendees to chant "norm-breaking slogans" and disrupt public order.
Authorities have not commented on the allegations of violence but previously claimed her arrest was linked to "provocative remarks" at the ceremony.
International outcry
The Norwegian Nobel Committee condemned Mohammadi's arrest as "brutal" and demanded her immediate release, urging Iranian authorities to guarantee her safety. Filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, along with over a dozen activists, issued a joint statement describing the incident as evidence of Iran's "worrying state of freedom and security."
"What happened at Alikordi's memorial reflects the authorities' lack of accountability," the statement said.
Background
Mohammadi, vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, has spent over a decade in prison for her activism against female oppression and state policies. She is currently serving a 13-year sentence for "propaganda against the state" and "collusion against state security," charges she denies.
Released temporarily in December 2024 for medical treatment, she has continued advocating for human rights despite ongoing harassment. Two other activists detained with her, Sepideh Gholian and Pouran Nazemi, were also reportedly beaten during the arrest.
