Iranian authorities have transferred Nobel peace prize laureate Narges Mohammadi to a prison in the northern city of Zanjan without prior notice, her family said on Saturday, amid growing concern over her health. Mohammadi, who won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long activism, was arrested on 12 December in Mashhad after speaking out against Iran's clerical authorities at a funeral ceremony.
Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, based in Paris, said the transfer was carried out without informing her family or lawyer, describing it as an attempt to 'exile and displace' her. Mohammadi's foundation confirmed she was moved on Tuesday but only revealed the news on Saturday during a phone call with her Iranian lawyer, Mostafa Nili.
In a post on X, Nili reported that Mohammadi spoke of violence during her arrest, including severe blows to her head that have caused dizziness, double vision, and blurred vision. He added that bruises and marks of physical assault remain on her body. The Norwegian Nobel committee said this week it was 'deeply appalled' by reports of 'physical abuse and ongoing life-threatening mistreatment' of Mohammadi.
Mohammadi had been on hunger strike earlier this month and was hospitalised before being returned to prison. She was recently handed an additional six-year sentence for harming national security and 18 months for propaganda against Iran's Islamic system. Over the past 25 years, she has been repeatedly jailed for campaigning against the death penalty and mandatory dress code for women.
Her foundation noted that during previous imprisonments, she was twice transferred to Zanjan prison, where she suffered ill treatment. Since her December arrest, she has been allowed only one phone call with a brother and two with her lawyer.
