Narges Mohammadi

Narges Mohammadi
Narges Mohammadi
Born	21 4, 1972
Birthplace	Zanjan, Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Occupation	Human rights activist, engineer
Known for	Advocacy for women's rights and human rights in Iran; opposition to mandatory hijab
Education	Imam Khomeini International University (BS)
Children	2
Awards	Nobel Peace Prize (2023), Alexander Langer Award

Narges Mohammadi (Template:Lang-fa; born 21 April 1972) is an Iranian human rights activist who has spent more than three decades campaigning for women's rights, civil liberties, and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran. She serves as vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), an organization headed by fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. Her activism has resulted in repeated imprisonment by Iranian authorities, totaling more than a decade behind bars across multiple sentences. In October 2023, while incarcerated in Evin Prison, Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all." She has been a prominent critic of Iran's mandatory hijab laws and a vocal proponent of mass feminist civil disobedience. Despite ongoing imprisonment, health complications including surgery related to cancer concerns, and additional sentences imposed as recently as February 2026, Mohammadi has continued to advocate for human rights from within prison walls, drawing international attention and condemnation of the Iranian government's treatment of political prisoners.

Early Life

Narges Mohammadi was born on 21 April 1972 in Zanjan, a city in northwestern Iran. Details of her early childhood and family background in publicly available sources are limited, though her upbringing in Zanjan placed her in a region with a history of political and social activism. From an early age, Mohammadi demonstrated an interest in social justice and civic engagement that would come to define her adult life.

Iran in the 1970s and 1980s underwent dramatic transformation, from the Iranian Revolution of 1979 through the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988). Mohammadi grew up during this turbulent period, which shaped the political consciousness of an entire generation of Iranians. The post-revolutionary restrictions placed on women's freedoms, including the imposition of mandatory hijab and limitations on women's participation in public life, formed the backdrop against which Mohammadi's activism would eventually emerge.

Education

Mohammadi pursued her higher education at Imam Khomeini International University in Qazvin, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. Her background in the sciences distinguished her from many other activists in Iran's human rights community, and she later applied her analytical training to engineering work before devoting herself fully to human rights advocacy. During her university years, Mohammadi became increasingly involved in student activism and began writing for publications addressing social and political issues. She contributed to the magazine Message of Syndicate, edited by Robert Bruchim in Tehran, an experience that deepened her engagement with labor rights and civil society organizations in Iran.

Career

Early Activism and the Defenders of Human Rights Center

Mohammadi's career in human rights activism began in the 1990s, a period during which Iran experienced a modest political opening under the presidency of Mohammad Khatami. She became involved with several civil society organizations and gradually emerged as one of Iran's most prominent advocates for women's rights and civil liberties. Her work brought her into contact with Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and human rights advocate who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

Mohammadi rose to the position of vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), the organization founded and led by Ebadi. The DHRC was established to provide legal representation to political prisoners and prisoners of conscience and to document human rights abuses in Iran. In this capacity, Mohammadi worked on cases involving political detainees, women facing discrimination under Iranian law, and individuals sentenced to death. Ebadi herself acknowledged the significance of Mohammadi's contributions to the organization, dedicating her own Nobel Prize in part to colleagues who had been imprisoned for their activism.

Mohammadi's activism centered on several key issues: opposition to the death penalty in Iran, advocacy for women's rights and gender equality, freedom of expression and association, and the rights of political prisoners. She was particularly outspoken in her criticism of Iran's mandatory hijab laws, which require women to cover their hair in public. Her advocacy positioned her as one of the leading figures in Iran's women's rights movement, which has grown in prominence over the decades despite—and in many ways because of—state repression.

Arrests and Imprisonment

Mohammadi's activism has resulted in repeated arrests and lengthy prison sentences imposed by the Iranian judiciary. Her encounters with the Iranian legal system span more than two decades, during which she has been arrested, released, and rearrested multiple times.

In May 2015, Mohammadi was arrested by Iranian authorities at her home in Tehran. The arrest came amid a broader crackdown on civil society activists and human rights defenders in Iran. In May 2016, she was sentenced by a court in Tehran to 16 years' imprisonment on charges that included "establishing and running the illegal splinter group Legam." Legam, whose name is a Persian acronym meaning "Step by Step to Stop the Death Penalty," was a campaign organization advocating for the abolition of capital punishment in Iran. The charges against Mohammadi were broadly condemned by international human rights organizations as politically motivated.

During her imprisonment, Mohammadi documented and reported on the conditions faced by women detainees in Iranian prisons, including accounts of abuse and the use of solitary confinement. Her reports, smuggled out of prison through various means, drew international attention to the treatment of political prisoners in Iran, particularly women held at Evin Prison.

Mohammadi was released from prison in 2020, but her freedom proved temporary. She was returned to prison in 2021, where she continued her advocacy and documentation of abuses against female inmates. From prison, she has given reports on the conditions of detained women, including accounts of physical mistreatment, psychological pressure, and denial of medical care.

Campaign Against Mandatory Hijab

One of Mohammadi's most prominent campaigns has been her opposition to Iran's mandatory hijab laws. She has been a vocal proponent of mass feminist civil disobedience against the compulsory wearing of the hijab, a position that placed her at odds with the Iranian government, which views enforcement of the hijab as a cornerstone of the Islamic Republic's social policies.

Mohammadi was particularly critical of the Iranian government's "hijab and chastity" program introduced in 2023, which intensified enforcement of mandatory veiling laws. The program came in the wake of the widespread protests that erupted across Iran in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in the custody of Iran's morality police after being detained for allegedly violating hijab rules. From prison, Mohammadi voiced support for the protesters and called for continued civil disobedience against the mandatory hijab.

Her stance on the hijab issue resonated with a broad segment of Iranian society, particularly younger women, and contributed to the growing international awareness of the restrictions placed on women in Iran. Her advocacy from behind bars was seen as especially significant given the risks involved in speaking out against state policies while in the custody of the very authorities she criticized.

2023 Nobel Peace Prize

On 6 October 2023, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that Narges Mohammadi had been awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize. The committee cited her "fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all." At the time of the announcement, Mohammadi was imprisoned in Evin Prison in Tehran and was unable to attend the award ceremony in Oslo.

The Nobel Committee's decision placed international attention on the human rights situation in Iran and specifically on the treatment of women under the Islamic Republic's legal system. The award was seen as both a recognition of Mohammadi's personal courage and sacrifice and as a broader statement about the global significance of the Iranian women's rights movement.

The Iranian government responded to the Nobel Prize announcement with condemnation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran issued a statement criticizing the decision, characterizing it as politically motivated interference in Iran's internal affairs.

Mohammadi became the second Iranian woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, following Shirin Ebadi's award in 2003. The fact that both laureates were associated with the Defenders of Human Rights Center underscored the significance of that organization in Iran's human rights landscape.

Continued Imprisonment and Health Concerns

In November 2024, it was reported that Mohammadi underwent a complex surgical procedure in Iran during which part of a bone in her right leg was removed due to concerns about cancer. According to reports, she was returned to prison immediately following the surgery, a decision that raised serious concerns about risks to her life and health among international observers and human rights organizations.

Mohammadi has also been reported to suffer from other health conditions during her years of incarceration, and her access to adequate medical care has been a recurring concern raised by her family, legal representatives, and international human rights organizations.

December 2025 Arrest and February 2026 Sentencing

On 12 December 2025, Mohammadi was arrested again, reportedly while attending a memorial ceremony in Mashhad. The arrest prompted the Norwegian Nobel Committee to urge Iran to disclose her whereabouts, reflecting the level of international concern surrounding her case.

According to the BBC, the arrest was connected to allegations that she had made "provocative remarks" at the memorial, and reports indicated she was beaten during the arrest.

On 8 February 2026, Mohammadi was sentenced to an additional seven and a half years in prison. According to The New York Times, the new sentence brought the total prison time she must serve to 17 years. At the time, it was reported that she had been on a hunger strike, which she ended following the sentencing.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee described Mohammadi as having been subjected to beatings and "life-threatening mistreatment" during her detention, and called on Iran to end what it termed "cruel abuse" and to release her immediately.

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), through its Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, issued a statement in February 2026 condemning the additional prison sentences against Mohammadi and calling for her release.

Personal Life

Narges Mohammadi has two children. Her family life has been profoundly affected by her decades of activism and imprisonment. Extended periods of incarceration have separated her from her children for years at a time, a fact that has drawn sympathy and attention from international observers and has been cited by human rights organizations in their advocacy on her behalf.

Mohammadi's health has been a matter of public concern throughout her imprisonment. In addition to the November 2024 surgery to address cancer concerns in her leg, she has reportedly experienced other health issues during her various periods of incarceration. Access to adequate medical treatment while in prison has been a persistent issue raised by her supporters and legal representatives.

Despite the personal costs of her activism, Mohammadi has repeatedly declined opportunities to leave Iran or to cease her human rights work in exchange for her freedom. This decision has been noted by the Nobel Committee and other international bodies as evidence of her commitment to the cause of human rights within Iran.

Recognition

Mohammadi has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of her human rights work:

The most significant recognition came in October 2023, when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The prize cited her sustained campaign against the oppression of women in Iran and her broader fight for human rights and freedom. She was unable to accept the prize in person due to her imprisonment.

Prior to the Nobel Prize, Mohammadi received the Alexander Langer Award, an international prize recognizing individuals and organizations working for peace, human rights, and coexistence.

Shirin Ebadi, upon receiving her own Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, dedicated the honor in part to imprisoned colleagues including Mohammadi, bringing early international recognition to Mohammadi's work.

Mohammadi's case has been highlighted by numerous international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, and the World Organisation Against Torture. Her imprisonment has been the subject of statements by the United Nations human rights mechanisms and by governments around the world calling for her release.

Legacy

Narges Mohammadi's significance in the Iranian human rights movement extends beyond her individual case. Her decades of activism, carried out at enormous personal cost, have placed the issues of women's rights, political imprisonment, and the death penalty in Iran firmly on the international agenda. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, while she remained behind bars, drew global media attention to the conditions faced by women and dissidents in Iran.

Her willingness to continue speaking out from prison—documenting abuses, advocating for fellow detainees, and calling for civil disobedience against the mandatory hijab—has made her a symbol of resistance within Iran and among the Iranian diaspora. The 2022–2023 protests that swept Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini brought renewed attention to the causes Mohammadi had championed for decades, and her voice from Evin Prison was among the most prominent to articulate the protesters' demands for dignity, equality, and freedom.

The fact that two vice presidents of the Defenders of Human Rights Center—Ebadi and Mohammadi—have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is indicative of the organization's role in Iranian civil society and the broader significance of the Iranian human rights movement on the world stage.

As of February 2026, Mohammadi remains imprisoned in Iran, facing a cumulative sentence of 17 years. Her case continues to be a focal point for international advocacy efforts aimed at securing the release of political prisoners in Iran and promoting accountability for human rights abuses.