Narges Mohammadi: A Voice for Freedom Silenced Again in Iran

Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for her relentless fight against the oppression of women and for human rights in Iran, was arrested on Friday in Mashhad, located in the northeastern part of the country. The foundation she manages reported that she was attending a funeral vigil for Khosrow Alikordi, a prominent lawyer who had dedicated his life to human rights and was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his office on December 5. Reports indicate that security forces violently detained Mohammadi, taking her to a prison operated by the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards, the most powerful military organization in the Iranian regime. During this incident, several other activists and lawyers focused on civil liberties were also arrested. At 53 years old, Mohammadi is no stranger to incarceration; she has been sentenced to over 13 years in prison, along with 154 lashes and multiple bans for actions deemed as anti-regime propaganda by the Iranian authorities. Since November 2021, she had been held at Evin Prison in Tehran, notorious for housing political opponents, journalists, and foreign nationals. However, she had been on medical leave from the prison since last December. Despite her confinement, Mohammadi remained an outspoken advocate against torture and violence within the prison system and played a pivotal role in supporting protests that erupted in 2023 following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini. In recent months, her supporters have expressed mounting concerns about the possibility of her re-arrest, highlighting the precarious position of activists within Iran's oppressive political environment. Mohammadi's latest arrest signifies yet another attempt by the Iranian government to silence dissent and undermine the ongoing fight for human rights within the nation. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2