Iran imposes fresh 7.5-year prison term on Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi

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Tehran: Renowned Iranian human rights defender and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Narges Mohammadi has been handed a fresh prison sentence by a court in Iran, her legal representative confirmed. The verdict, delivered in Mashhad, adds years to her already lengthy incarceration and imposes additional restrictions on her movement and residency.

Mohammadi, 53, has long been a central figure in Iran’s rights movement, advocating against the death penalty and campaigning for women’s freedoms. She was first detained in December 2025 at a memorial service for the late lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, who died amid circumstances that raised concerns among activists.

According to her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, the new ruling includes a combined seven-and-a-half-year prison term. This comprises a six-year sentence for alleged “assembly and collusion against national security” and a further 18 months for what authorities describe as “propaganda against the state.”

In addition to incarceration, the court ordered:

Two years of internal exile in the city of Khusf in South Khorasan province.

A two-year travel ban restricting her from leaving Iran.

Mohammadi was permitted to relay the sentence to her lawyer during a brief phone call from her detention facility. Supporters say she had recently ended a week-long hunger strike protesting the conditions of her imprisonment and her limited access to family and counsel.

Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised Tehran’s treatment of Mohammadi, highlighting her ongoing vulnerability and chronic health issues that have been exacerbated by repeated incarcerations over the years.

Iranian officials have not publicly responded to the reports. The latest sentence comes amid a broader government crackdown on dissent that has intensified over recent months.

Photo credit: Instgaram/ narges_mohamadi_51