Oslo: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has called on Iran to immediately release Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, expressing deep concern over her continued imprisonment and recent reports about her treatment.
Mohammadi, a well known Iranian human rights activist, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for her work defending women’s rights and campaigning against the death penalty. She was already in prison at the time of the award.
In its latest statement, the Nobel Committee said it was alarmed by information that Mohammadi had been violently detained during a funeral in December and is now facing additional years behind bars. According to reports, she has been sentenced to more than seven extra years in prison on charges that include acting against national security and spreading propaganda against the state.
The committee said her arrest and sentencing show a continued crackdown on peaceful activism in Iran. It stressed that Mohammadi’s work has always focused on human rights and nonviolent reform.
There are also growing concerns about her health. Supporters and human rights groups say she has been denied proper medical care and has previously gone on hunger strike to protest prison conditions. Her family has raised fears that her health could worsen if she remains in detention.
The case has drawn strong international reaction. European leaders and global human rights organisations have urged Iran to free her without conditions. They argue that her activities fall within the basic rights of free expression and peaceful assembly.
Mohammadi has spent many years in and out of prison because of her activism. Despite repeated arrests and long sentences, she has continued to speak out about justice, women’s rights and the treatment of prisoners in Iran.
As pressure grows, the Nobel Committee said it will continue to stand by her and call for her immediate release. For now, however, Mohammadi remains in prison, becoming a powerful symbol of the struggle for human rights in Iran.