Kamal Ghorui
File photo: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammad (Picture credit: AP)
Iran has sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi to more than seven additional years in prison, according to her supporters and lawyer. The development comes as Mohammadi has reportedly been on a hunger strike since early February.Her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, confirmed the verdict on social media, saying she had received multiple sentences on separate charges Iranian authorities have not publicly acknowledged the ruling so far, as per news agency AP.Mohammadi, a long-time critic of Iran’s human rights record, is already behind bars and has spent much of the past decade in and out of prison for her activism.
Details of the new sentence
According to Nili, Mohammadi has been sentenced to six years in prison for “gathering and collusion to commit crimes” and an additional one-and-a-half years for propaganda-related charges, reported news agency AFP. She has also been handed a two-year travel ban.Separately, Mohammadi has been ordered into internal exile for two years to the city of Khosf in South Khorasan province. Under Iranian law, prison sentences are served concurrently, meaning the longest term applies.Nili said the verdict is not final and can still be appealed. He also expressed hope that, given her health condition, Mohammadi could be temporarily released on bail to receive medical treatment.
Hunger strike and health concerns
Supporters say Mohammadi began a hunger strike on February 2, according to AP. Her health has been a recurring concern. In December 2024, she was briefly released for three weeks on medical grounds following surgery that involved tumour removal and a bone graft, her lawyer had said at the time.Despite her detention, Mohammadi has continued to protest from inside prison, including staging demonstrations in the prison yard and undertaking previous hunger strikes.
Long history of activism and imprisonment
Mohammadi, 53, has been repeatedly arrested over the past 25 years for campaigning against Iran’s use of the death penalty and for opposing the mandatory dress code for women. She has not seen her twin children, who live in Paris, since 2015.She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for her human rights work, particularly her opposition to capital punishment. Her children accepted the award on her behalf as she remained imprisoned at the time.Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly criticised Iran’s record, noting that the country carries out more executions annually than any nation except China, for which no reliable data is available.
