Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was released on bail Sunday and transferred to a hospital in Tehran for urgent medical treatment. The release follows intense pressure from supporters who warned that the 54-year-old activist was at risk of dying due to a severe decline in her health while serving her sentence in Zanjan, northern Iran.
According to the Narges Mohammadi Foundation, the activist was granted a "sentence suspension on heavy bail" after spending 10 days hospitalized in Zanjan. Her husband, based in Paris, stated over the weekend that "she is not in a favourable general condition" and that "her status remains unstable."
Reports from the BBC and France 24 indicate that Mohammadi has suffered two suspected heart attacks while in custody earlier this year. Her lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani, noted that the activist has lost approximately 20 kilograms (three stone) during her imprisonment and is currently experiencing difficulty speaking, leaving her barely recognizable to those close to her.
Mohammadi’s health struggles trace back through a series of arrests and convictions. In 2021, she began serving a 13-year sentence on charges of "propaganda activity against the state" and "collusion against state security," both of which she has denied. Following a brief medical release in December 2024, she was rearrested for allegedly making "provocative remarks" at a memorial ceremony, an event her family claims resulted in her being beaten by authorities.
In early February, a Revolutionary Court added seven-and-a-half years to her sentence after convicting her of further charges related to "gathering and collusion" and "propaganda activities." Her brother, Hamidreza, reported last month that she was found unconscious by fellow inmates at Zanjan prison following a cardiac incident.
While her supporters have welcomed the transfer to Tehran Pars Hospital, where she is being treated by her own medical team, they maintain that a temporary suspension is insufficient. The foundation’s statement emphasized that the Nobel laureate requires "permanent, specialised care" and asserted that "a suspension is not enough" to address the risks to her health.
The foundation further stated that they must ensure she does not return to prison to face the remainder of her sentence. They reiterated their position that no human and women's rights activists should be imprisoned for their peaceful work.
