"Beaten Severely Before Capture": Fears Grow for Narges Mohammadi's Life

Iranian security forces conducted a raid on the family home of Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi in Mashhad, escalating pressure on the prominent human rights lawyer who has been imprisoned for over 40 days without visits from family or her lawyer and denied phone access since December 14. A source close to the family reported her physical condition as "concerning," based on accounts from a recently released detainee who saw her.

Mohammadi, one of Iran's leading advocates for human rights, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while serving a sentence exceeding 30 years on national security charges. She was briefly released on medical leave due to health issues but has since been reincarcerated. About two months ago she wrote an article for Time magazine stating that Iranians cannot experience true peace because the state controls every aspect of their personal and private lives. Throughout the years Mohammadi has repeatedly highlighted threats from Iranian intelligence agents, telling German media in August that they sent direct or indirect warnings of intent to kill her.

In a previous incident about a year ago, Mohammadi was severely beaten by prison guards at the facility where she was held. Despite her dire medical needs and explicit demands, prison authorities refused to allow her transfer to a hospital. The assault reportedly occurred after she led protests among female inmates against the regime's frequent death sentences for various offenses.

The raid on her family's home in Mashhad reflects the regime's pattern of targeting relatives of dissidents to intensify pressure. Mohammadi's advocacy has focused on women's rights, political prisoners, and opposition to the death penalty, earning her international acclaim but severe repercussions at home. Her case highlights broader issues of political repression in Iran, where activists face arbitrary detention, torture, and denial of medical care.

Amnesty International reported today that the Iranian regime is preparing to execute 19-year-old Amir-Hossein Ghader-Zadeh from Rasht, arrested for participating in protests. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned Iran's use of the death penalty as a "systematic tool of intimidation." With an estimated 3,117 deaths from recent protests, including security forces, Mohammadi's situation underscores the risks faced by those challenging the regime from within. Her family continues to appeal for international intervention to secure her release and proper treatment, fearing further deterioration without urgent action.