Jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi is fighting for her life after being hospitalized under guard for the last five days with a heart condition, her supporters have said. The 54-year-old activist, who has spent much of the past two decades in and out of prison for her activism, was arrested most recently in December after denouncing the Islamic Republic at a funeral for a lawyer.
Health Deterioration in Prison
Already suffering from a heart condition, Mohammadi had two suspected heart attacks on March 24 and May 1 while imprisoned in Zanjan in northern Iran, according to her supporters. After the most recent incident, she was rushed to hospital for treatment but remains under constant guard. Her Paris-based lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani, stated that Mohammadi is experiencing an "unprecedented degradation" of her health, adding, "We have never been so afraid for Narges's life; she could leave us at any moment."
Supporters Call for Urgent Action
At a news conference, Ardakani said, "We are not just fighting for the freedom of Narges, we are fighting so that her heart continues to beat," describing the 2023 laureate as now "between life and death." Jonathan Dagher of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), also part of her support committee, echoed this urgency: "This is the first time we are saying that she is between life and death, that there is a risk of death. We must act before it is too late."
Mohammadi has lost 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in prison, has difficulty speaking, and is reportedly "unrecognizable" from before her latest arrest. Her supporters are demanding that she be transferred to Tehran for treatment by her personal medical team, but there has been no sign of her being moved from Zanjan.
Appeal to French Government
Mohammadi's twin teenage children and her husband live in Paris. Ardakani urged the French foreign ministry and President Emmanuel Macron to take a stronger stance on her case. "We are expecting [Macron] to take a strong position. I don't think this is something excessive," she said. The situation has drawn international concern, with human rights groups calling for immediate action to save her life.
