Iran has sentenced Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent human rights activist Narges Mohammadi to more than seven additional years in prison, supporters said on Sunday, even as she continues a hunger strike in detention.
Mohammadi’s lawyer Mostafa Nili confirmed the ruling in a post on X after speaking to her.
“She has been sentenced to six years in prison for ‘gathering and collusion’ and one and a half years for propaganda, along with a two-year travel ban,” Nili wrote.
Iranian authorities have not officially acknowledged the sentence.
Hunger strike to protest detention, prison conditions
Supporters say Mohammadi has been on a hunger strike since February 2, protesting what her family describes as unlawful detention, harsh prison conditions and restrictions on communication.
In a statement shared with CNN, Mohammadi’s foundation said the strike aims to highlight not only her case but the broader plight of political prisoners across Iran.
Family raises alarm over health risks
Mohammadi’s son, Ali Rahmani, said the family is deeply concerned about her health as the strike continues.
“What is happening in our country is a crime against humanity,” he said, adding that his mother has always called for “solidarity, unity and peace.”
The foundation warned that her detention is “extremely dangerous” given her medical history, which includes heart attacks, high blood pressure, chest pain and spinal disc problems.
Arrest during memorial ceremony
Mohammadi was arrested in December in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, during a memorial for Khosrow Alikordi, a prominent lawyer and human rights defender found dead in his office under circumstances activists have described as suspicious.
Her family said her last direct contact was a phone call with her brother on December 14, with no communication allowed since.
‘Silence and self-censorship’
According to her Paris-based lawyer Chirinne Ardakani, Mohammadi has also been demanding her basic rights while in custody.
“She is demanding her right to make a phone call, have access to her lawyers in Iran and to be visited,” Ardakani told AFP.
Her foundation said authorities would only allow phone calls if she followed strict rules set by prosecutors, calling this an attempt to make her legal rights “dependent on silence and self-censorship.”
Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, said officials tried to dictate what she could say during calls.
“The Narges we know refuses to submit to such pressure; she insists on speaking her truth,” he said.
International concern grows
Mohammadi, a 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has spent much of the past two decades in and out of prison for advocating women’s rights, democracy and civil liberties. She was awarded the prize for her role in challenging repression in Iran, particularly after backing the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in custody.
Human rights groups say Iran has responded to dissent with mass arrests and harsh prison conditions. US-based HRANA estimates more than 50,000 people have been detained during protest crackdowns.
