40 Days Since the Arrest of Narges Mohammadi; Concerns About Her and Pouran Nazemi's Health

Forty days have passed since the arrest of Narges Mohammadi and several civil activists during a memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi in Mashhad. Alikordi died under suspicious circumstances, and civil activists claim he was murdered. Since the ceremony, Narges Mohammadi and other participants have remained in detention. On Thursday, the Narges Foundation announced that security agents raided Narges Mohammadi's family home in Mashhad, conducting searches and inspections. According to the foundation, Narges Mohammadi has been deprived of the right to meet with her family and lawyer for over 40 days and has not made any phone calls since December 23. The Narges Foundation also reported, citing someone recently released from the Mashhad intelligence detention center, that the health condition of Narges Mohammadi and Pouran Nazemi is 'concerning.' Previously, Mahshid Nazemi, Pouran Nazemi's sister, told Voice of America that her sister was transferred to the hospital in a state of coma while in detention. Following Narges Mohammadi's arrest, the Persian page of the U.S. State Department condemned the action. The statement noted that Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Prize winner, was violently arrested along with activists including Sepideh Gholian, Hasti Amiri, Pouran Nazemi, Nora Haghi, Aliyeh Matlabi Zadeh, Asadollah Fakimi, Akbar Amini, Hassan Bagherinia, and Abolfazl Abri. During this ceremony, Ali Adinehzadeh, the father of Abolfazl Adinehzadeh who was killed during the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, was also arrested; Khosrow Alikordi was representing his case and his family's. The U.S. State Department described these widespread arrests as a sign of systematic repression and the Islamic Republic's disregard even for mourning ceremonies. The Narges Mohammadi Foundation has warned about mass killings in Iran; the continuation of repression under the shadow of internet shutdowns. The European Union: The Islamic Republic must immediately release imprisoned human rights defenders. Narges Mohammadi was transferred to the emergency room twice after 'violent arrest' in Mashhad. Machado condemned the arrest of Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and called for global action. The Islamic Republic arrested Khosrow Alikordi's brother; the U.S. State Department responded.