Iran sentences Nobel laureate Narges to an additional seven and a half years in prison.

Tehran, Iran — Narges Mohammadie, the Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been handed a prison sentence of nearly seven and a half years, her lawyer and a supporting human rights organisation have confirmed.

According to Mohammadie’s attorney, Mostafa Nili, the court imposed a six-year sentence on charges of “assembly and conspiracy with the intent to commit crimes.” An additional one-and-a-half-year term was added for allegedly spreading propaganda. Alongside her prison sentence, Mohammadie has been ordered to endure two years of exile in the city of Khusf, located in Iran’s South Khorasan province. A two-year ban on leaving the country has also been imposed.

Mr Nili emphasised that the verdict is not final and can be appealed. He expressed hope that Mohammadie may be granted temporary release on bail for medical treatment due to serious health issues.

While in detention, Mohammadie began a hunger strike on 2 February to protest her imprisonment conditions, including restrictions on phone communication with her lawyer and family. The Narges Foundation stated that after six days, she ended the hunger strike, though her physical condition remains “extremely concerning.”

Narges Mohammadie is only the second Iranian woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, following Shirin Ebadi in 2003, who was recognised for her efforts in promoting democracy and human rights.

A prominent writer and journalist, Mohammadie serves as deputy director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), a long-standing organisation advocating for the rights of political prisoners and broader human rights reforms in Iran. She has also been an outspoken campaigner for women’s rights, against the death penalty, and against corruption.

The Nobel Committee in 2023 highlighted Mohammadie’s two decades of struggle for women’s rights, declaring her a symbol of freedom and resistance in Iran.

Her arrest followed the mysterious death of her lawyer, Khosro Alikord, on 12 December. Mohammadie publicly condemned Alikord’s death, prompting authorities to detain her. At the time, state prosecutor Hassan Hemmatifar claimed that Mohammadie had incited attendees at a memorial service in Mashhad, urging them to chant “provocative slogans” and disrupt public order.

Summary of Sentence:

The verdict has intensified international concern over the Iranian government’s treatment of human rights defenders and women’s rights activists, further highlighting Mohammadie’s role as a courageous voice for justice in the face of systemic oppression.