Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi's health has reached a critical state following a heart attack last month while imprisoned in Iran, according to her supporters and family members who were granted rare visitation rights.
Family members and legal representatives visited Mohammadi on Saturday at her prison facility in northern Iran's Zanjan province, observing what they described as a severe deterioration in her physical condition. The meeting marked only the second in-person visit allowed since her transfer to the facility in February without prior warning.
has become extremely weak and has suffered significant weight loss
Hamidreza Mohammadi, brother — The New Arab
The 2023 Nobel laureate's brother, speaking from Norway, revealed additional concerns about her safety beyond the medical emergency. Mohammadi is reportedly housed alongside inmates charged with murder, some of whom have issued death threats against her multiple times.
Mohammadi's current imprisonment began in December when authorities arrested her in Mashhad after she spoke against Iran's clerical leadership at a funeral ceremony. Her detention preceded nationwide protests that erupted later that month, with the movement reaching its peak in January before authorities launched a violent crackdown that activists claim killed thousands.
France 24 frames the story as a human rights crisis, emphasizing Iran's harsh treatment of political prisoners and the international community's concern for Mohammadi's welfare. The outlet's coverage reflects France's broader diplomatic tensions with Iran and positions the case within a framework of authoritarian repression against civil society activists.