Iranian Nobel laureate hospitalized after agents beat her with clubs
16 Dec 2025

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was taken to the hospital twice following her arrest last week.

The human rights activist told her family in a Sunday phone call that she was "attacked by plain clothed agents with severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck" and taken to the emergency department twice.

Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 while still imprisoned for her decades-long fight for women's rights and the abolition of capital punishment.

She was detained for making 'provocative remarks'
Arrest

She has been serving a 13-year sentence for "propaganda activity against the state" and "collusion against state security" since 2021, which she has denied.

In December 2024, she was granted temporary parole from Tehran's notorious Evin jail on medical reasons.

Iranian authorities said she was detained for making "provocative remarks" during a memorial ceremony in Mashhad on Friday.

Mohammadi's arrest follows memorial ceremony
Arrest details

Mohammadi was re-arrested after a memorial ceremony for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi in Mashhad, who was found dead earlier this month under "suspicious" circumstances.

Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar claimed she and Alikordi's brother incited attendees to chant "norm-breaking slogans" and "disturb the peace."

Eyewitnesses reported that around 15 plainclothes agents attacked Mohammadi at the event, pulling her hair and beating her with clubs and batons.

Mohammadi's family reports severe injuries, threats
Health update

According to the Narges Foundation, Mohammadi told her family in a phone call on Sunday that she was hospitalized twice due to the severity of the blows.

The foundation said, "Her physical condition at the time of the call was not good, and she appeared unwell."

She also alleged that security forces accused her of "cooperating with the Israeli government" and issued death threats.

Nobel Committee, activists condemn Mohammadi's arrest
Global outcry

The Norwegian Nobel Committee expressed deep concern over Mohammadi's "brutal arrest" and called on Iranian authorities to ensure her safety and release her unconditionally.

A group of activists, including filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, also condemned the incident as a reflection of the deteriorating state of freedom and security in Iran.