Nobel Peace Prize-Winning Iranian Human Rights Activist Mohammadi in Critical Condition as Health Rapidly Deteriorates in Prison
by Bang Jeil
Published 17 Apr.2026 10:53(KST)
Unconscious for Over an Hour After Heart Attack
Allegations of Inadequate Emergency Response and Death Threats Raised
Concerns Mount Over Poor Prison Conditions
Calls Grow for Humanitarian Action Amid International Outcry
Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is reported to have experienced a rapid deterioration in health after suffering a heart attack while in prison.
On April 16 (local time), international media including the Associated Press reported that Mohammadi's family said, "She has experienced a dramatic weight loss since her heart attack last month and has become extremely frail overall."
The Mohammadi Foundation also expressed concern in a statement, saying, "Her health condition has visibly worsened, and she is currently in a very critical state." According to the foundation, Mohammadi suffered a heart attack inside the prison on March 24, lost consciousness for over an hour afterward, and it is alleged that immediate resuscitation measures were not taken.
Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, who lives in Norway, claimed, "My sister is being held in the same cell as inmates charged with murder and has even received death threats from some of them." He also relayed that the cardiologist who treated her at the time suggested that medication prescribed by the prison medical staff might have contributed to the heart attack.
The Iranian authorities have not issued an official statement regarding these claims. Mohammadi is a prominent human rights activist who has campaigned for women's rights and freedom for over 20 years. She was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize while imprisoned in recognition of her efforts against the oppression of women in Iran. Since 2001, she has been arrested a total of 13 times, repeatedly experiencing long periods of imprisonment and release. In 2021, she was arrested again after attending a memorial service for victims of anti-government protests and has since been detained at Tehran's Evin Prison.
She was temporarily released in December last year due to deteriorating health, but was re-arrested shortly after attending a memorial event for the late human rights lawyer Hosro Alikordi. Following this, she was charged again with offenses such as criticizing the authorities, which led to additional charges of threatening national security and propaganda, resulting in her continued detention. There is growing international concern over Mohammadi's health and the conditions of her imprisonment, with increasing calls for humanitarian intervention.
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