Iranian authorities have transferred Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize–winning Iranian activist, to a prison in northern Iran without prior notice, sparking renewed concern over her health and treatment in custody.
According to AFP, Mohammadi was moved from a detention facility in Mashhad to Zanjan prison without informing her lawyer or family. Relatives say the sudden transfer has intensified worries about her medical condition, following reports of physical abuse, deteriorating health, and extended periods of isolation.
Why was she transferred?
Mohammadi was arrested on December 12 in Mashhad after criticising Iran’s clerical leadership during a funeral ceremony. She was initially held at a detention centre operated by the intelligence ministry.
Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, who resides in Paris, described the move as an attempt to “exile and displace” her. Her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said she was only able to discuss the transfer days later during a brief phone call.
The relocation came after:
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A nearly week-long hunger strike protesting prison conditions
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Hospitalisation due to health complications
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Allegations of physical abuse during arrest and interrogation
Her lawyer claims she suffered heavy blows to the head, leading to dizziness, double vision, and blurred eyesight. Visible bruises were reportedly still present.
New prison sentence and internal exile
In February 2026, Mohammadi was sentenced to more than seven years in prison:
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Six years for “gathering and collusion to commit crimes”
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18 months for propaganda activities
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Two years of internal exile to Khosf in South Khorasan province
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A two-year travel ban
Her legal team says the ruling is not final and can be appealed. They are seeking temporary medical furlough on bail.
Ongoing health concerns
Mohammadi has faced persistent health issues in recent years. In November 2024, she underwent major surgery in Iran that involved removing part of a bone in her right leg amid cancer concerns. Despite the seriousness of the operation, she was reportedly returned to prison soon afterward.
Earlier this year, she launched another hunger strike over restrictions on contact with her family and legal counsel. Her foundation described her condition as “deeply alarming.”
Who is Narges Mohammadi?
Born on April 21, 1972, in Zanjan, Mohammadi is one of Iran’s most prominent human rights defenders. She serves as deputy director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, co-founded by fellow Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.
For more than two decades, she has campaigned against:
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The death penalty in Iran
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Solitary confinement in prisons
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Mandatory hijab laws
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Restrictions on political freedoms
She became a leading voice during nationwide protests that followed the 2022 death of Jina Mahsa Amini, which ignited widespread unrest.
Nobel Peace Prize recognition
In October 2023, while imprisoned, Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her efforts to promote human rights and freedom.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee later said it was “deeply appalled” by reports of mistreatment during her detention. Iran’s foreign ministry criticised the award.
A life marked by imprisonment
Over the past 25 years, Mohammadi has been repeatedly arrested and jailed. In 2016, she received a 16-year sentence linked to her activism. Although released in 2020, she was re-arrested in 2021 and has continued to report alleged abuse of detained women from inside prison.
At 53, she remains both a powerful symbol of resistance within Iran and a globally recognised advocate for women’s rights and human dignity — even as she remains behind bars.
Her latest transfer to Zanjan prison, the city of her birth, underscores the continuing tensions between Iranian authorities and one of the country’s most internationally visible critics.
