Narges Mohammadi, an award-winning human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has been hospitalized following a brutal arrest by Iranian authorities, according to her family. The 53-year-old humanitarian advocate reported severe physical abuse inflicted by plainclothes agents who allegedly used batons to strike her on the head and neck.
After being detained last week while attending a memorial ceremony in Mashhad, she was taken to the emergency room twice due to the extent of her injuries. Eyewitness accounts relay that approximately 15 agents attacked Mohammadi, evident in the behavioral patterns of law enforcement towards dissenters in Iran.
The Iranian government has not provided an official statement regarding her treatment but previously announced her arrest was linked to “provocative remarks” made during the memorial for Khosrow Alikordi, a fellow rights defender recently found dead under questionable circumstances.
Following her violent arrest, prominent figures including Jafar Panahi and the Norwegian Nobel Committee called for her immediate release, expressing grave concerns for her safety and ongoing human rights violations in Iran. Mohammadi, who has spent over a decade in prison for her activism against women's oppression and human rights abuses, was released temporarily on medical grounds last December but continues her advocacy work.
During her brief communication with family from the hospital, Mohammadi indicated that she is unaware of which security agency is holding her, and fear for her life was expressed, with threats reportedly made towards her and her family.
The tensions surrounding her arrest highlight the precarious state of activism and freedom in Iran, leading to a broader call from national and international alliances for accountability and protection of human rights defenders.
