Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, released on medical leave from Tehran’s Evin prison, remains at risk of re-arrest, her family’s lawyer said on Monday. Mohammadi, who won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long human rights advocacy, was released on December 4 after undergoing surgery but faces an uncertain future.
Her initial three-week medical leave expired on December 25. Though her legal team sought an extension, supported by a medical committee, Iranian prosecutors have yet to respond, leaving her in a precarious legal position, according to family lawyer Chirinne Ardakani.
“This deliberate uncertainty is a cruel tactic by the authorities to wage psychological warfare against her,” Ardakani told AFP, warning that Mohammadi could be charged with violating her leave terms and detained at any time.
Despite her incarceration since 2021, Mohammadi has remained a vocal advocate for women’s rights, campaigning against mandatory hijab laws and supporting nationwide protests. She recently visited Vakilabad prison in Mashhad, delivering a defiant message without wearing a headscarf.
