Iranian Nobel Laureate Faces New Sentence as Support and Global Scrutiny Intensify

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has been handed additional prison sentences totalling seven-and-a-half years, according to her lawyer, in a development that has drawn renewed international attention to her case and the broader human rights situation in Iran.

Mohammadi, 53, was sentenced by a court in the north-eastern city of Mashhad to six years in prison for what authorities described as “gathering and collusion,” and a further one-and-a-half years for “propaganda activities,” her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said in a statement posted on social media on Sunday. The ruling also includes a two-year travel ban and two years of internal exile to the eastern region of Khusf.

The latest sentences follow Mohammadi’s arrest in December, when Iranian authorities accused her of making “provocative remarks” during a memorial ceremony. Her family has said she was beaten during the arrest and later taken to hospital. The activist has since been returned to detention, despite concerns over her health.

Nili, who said he spoke to Mohammadi for the first time since 14 December, reported that she had been hospitalised three days ago because of her “poor physical condition” before being transferred back to the detention centre where she is currently being held. He added that their phone call was abruptly cut off while she was describing the circumstances of her detention.

The Narges Foundation, which supports Mohammadi and campaigns on her behalf, described the court hearing on Saturday as a “sham” and said she began a hunger strike on 2 February in protest against her treatment. The foundation has repeatedly warned that her health is fragile after years of imprisonment and medical neglect.

Mohammadi’s husband, Taghi Rahmani, said she refused to mount a defence in court, explaining that she does not recognise the legitimacy of the judicial process she faces. He said she attended the hearing in silence, did not speak, and did not sign any documents, describing the proceedings as “a mere charade with a pre-determined end.

Her daughter, Kiana Rahmani, said she was “gravely concerned” about her mother’s physical and mental wellbeing, echoing fears expressed by rights groups and supporters around the world.

Mohammadi has already spent more than a decade of her life behind bars. According to the Narges Foundation, the latest ruling brings the total length of prison time she has been sentenced to over the years to 44 years. Since 2021, she has been serving a 13-year sentence on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “collusion against state security,” accusations she has consistently denied.

Despite her imprisonment, Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 in recognition of her long-standing activism against the oppression of women in Iran and her advocacy for human rights. Supporters say the honour has given her case unprecedented international visibility, even as legal pressure against her continues to mount.

She was granted a temporary medical release from Tehran’s Evin prison for three weeks in December 2024, raising hopes among her family and supporters that her health needs might finally be prioritised. However, she was expected to return to prison soon after, where she has been serving multiple overlapping sentences.

Her most recent arrest occurred while she was attending a memorial for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer who was found dead in his office in early December. Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights has called for an independent inquiry into his death, describing the circumstances as “suspicious.”

The Narges Foundation previously said eyewitnesses at the memorial saw Mohammadi being attacked by around 15 plainclothes agents, alleging that some pulled her hair and beat her with batons and clubs. Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar said Mohammadi was among 39 people arrested and claimed that she and Alikordi’s brother had encouraged participants to chant “norm-breaking slogans” and disturb public order.