Transfer to Hospital Amid Health Concerns
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been moved from prison to a hospital in Tehran due to worsening health conditions. Authorities in Iran have granted her "a sentence suspension on heavy bail," according to a statement from the Narges Mohammadi Foundation, which is managed by her family.
Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, expressed relief to the BBC that she will now receive proper medical care from her own healthcare team, though he noted that the full extent of her condition remains unclear.
Earlier this year, Mohammadi suffered two suspected heart attacks, prompting warnings from her family and supporters that she could die while incarcerated.
Background and Recognition
The 54-year-old human rights activist serves as vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. She was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her efforts to combat female oppression in Iran and to promote human rights.
Following appeals from her family, the foundation announced on Sunday evening that Mohammadi is now receiving treatment at Tehran Pars Hospital under the care of her personal medical team. Prior to this, she had spent 10 days hospitalized in Zanjan, approximately 265 kilometers (165 miles) northwest of Tehran, where she was serving her prison sentence.
Statements from Family and Advocates
"Narges Mohammadi's life hangs in the balance," said her husband, Taghi Rahmani, who is based in Paris.
"While she is currently hospitalised following a catastrophic health failure, a temporary transfer is not enough. Narges must never be returned to the conditions that broke her health."
Hamidreza Mohammadi, who resides in Oslo, described the bail as providing "temporary relief from the certain death that Narges faced in the prison." He added that it is still early to have precise information about her condition but expressed trust in the doctors who have treated her previously.
"The only worry that I have is the permanent damage that has been caused during these days in the prison," he said. "She has been experiencing very serious symptoms that point in the direction of having developed variant angina."
Variant angina is a heart condition characterized by spasms in the coronary arteries, which supply blood and oxygen to the heart, potentially leading to long-term health consequences.
Health and Imprisonment Details
Mohammadi is reported to have lost approximately 20 kilograms (three stone) during her imprisonment. Her lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani, shared a photograph showing her sitting up in a hospital bed, noting that she has difficulty speaking and is barely recognizable.
She has spent over a decade in prison. In 2021, she began serving a 13-year sentence on charges including "propaganda activity against the state" and "collusion against state security," which she has denied. In December 2024, she was temporarily released from Tehran's Evin prison on medical grounds.
Her arrest last December was reportedly due to "provocative remarks" made at a memorial ceremony, according to Iranian authorities. Her family stated she was hospitalized after being beaten during the arrest.
Following her arrest, widespread protests erupted across Iran against the clerical establishment. Security forces responded with an unprecedented crackdown, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, according to human rights organizations.
In early February, Mohammadi was sentenced by a Revolutionary Court to an additional seven and a half years in prison on charges of "gathering and collusion" and "propaganda activities," as reported by her lawyer.
Last month, Hamidreza Mohammadi reported that his sister was found unconscious by fellow inmates at Zanjan prison after suffering a suspected heart attack.
Foundation's Call for Permanent Care and Release
The foundation emphasized that a suspension of her sentence is insufficient and that she requires "permanent, specialised care."
"We must ensure she never returns to prison to face the 18 years remaining on her sentence," the foundation stated. "Now is the time to demand her unconditional freedom and the dismissal of all charges. No human and women's rights activists should ever be imprisoned for their peaceful work."
Hamidreza Mohammadi warned that his sister's fragile physical state means any return to prison "would again cause severe problems for her and eventually her death."
