Iran's Nobel Peace Laureate receives another prison sentence

He noted that Mohammadi had already spent 59 days behind bars and the day before she was brought to the First Department of the Revolutionary Court of Mashgad, where her case was being considered.

“She was sentenced to six years in prison for participation in collection and conspiracy, as well as one year and six months for propaganda activities. In addition, as an additional punishment, she was prohibited from leaving the country for two years and was assigned a two-year exile to the city of Hoofs,” the lawyer wrote.

He added, referring to Mohammadi herself, that she was hospitalized three days ago due to poor health, but was then returned to the isolation ward.

“When she began to talk about the circumstances of the arrest and the incident, the connection was lost,” Neely added.

The Mohammadi Foundation reported that the laureate began a hunger strike on February 2 to protest against illegal detention, harsh conditions of detention and the ban on contact with family and lawyers. The fast lasted six days, after which Mohammadi stopped, but her condition remained deeply alarming.

“The Foundation calls on the UN, international human rights organizations, democratic governments and the global community not to remain silent in the face of violations of the rights of political prisoners in Iran and to act immediately to ensure the release of Nerges Mohamadi and all prisoners of conscience,” the statement said.

Context

Mohammadi began advocating for women's rights in the 1990s, when she was a student. After graduation, she worked as an engineer and also as a columnist for various reform newspapers. In 2003, she began collaborating with the Center for Human Rights Defenders in Tehran.

In 2011, Mohammadi was first arrested and sentenced to years in prison for her efforts to help jailed activists and their families. Two years later, after being released on bail, she began campaigning against the death penalty.

In 2015, a second arrest and prison sentence occurred. In prison, she began to speak out against the regime's systematic use of torture and sexual violence against political prisoners, especially women, practiced in Iranian prisons.

In total, Mohammadi was arrested more than 13 times and sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. In October 2023, when her election as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate was announced, she was sent to Evin prison in Tehran.