Eyewitness: “Arrests were carried out with severe violence” Streets Blocked, Crowd Prevents Arrest of Slain Lawyer’s Brother
Editor’s note: This story was updated on December 12 to include the arrest of Javad Alikordi.
December 12, 2025—On Friday, December 12, 2025, Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi and other prominent human rights activists were violently arrested and detained by Islamic Republic security forces at the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosro Alikordi, the human rights lawyer whose highly suspicious death on December 8, 2025 had prompted calls by lawyers and activists across Iran for an independent investigation into his death. At the time of this report, the arrests of Narges Mohammadi, Sepideh Gholian, Pouran Nazemi, Noura Haghi, Ali Adinezadeh, and Hassan Bagherinia have been independently confirmed by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) from sources inside Iran who attended the ceremony. The Narges Foundation has also confirmed the arrests of Hasti Amiri, and Aliyeh Motalebzadeh, and stated that reports indicated Asadollah Fakhimi, Akbar Amini, and Abolfazl Abri were detained as well. Later on December 12, Javad Alikordi, an attorney and the brother of recently deceased human rights lawyer Khosro Alikordi, was arrested by security forces at his workplace in Mashhad just hours after he spoke on an Instagram live about the violent crackdown at his brother’s seventh-day memorial. There is no information currently available about his whereabouts or condition. Javad Alikordi had been summoned and interrogated on December 10 over his criticism of the authorities following his brother’s death. He was previously imprisoned on security-related charges and had been released under electronic monitoring on August 11, 2025, after an appeals court reinstated a suspended sentence. He has faced repeated prosecutions, travel bans, and restrictions on his professional and online activities. “The international community must demand the immediate release of all those detained at Khosro Alikordi’s memorial. What we witnessed today is the Islamic Republic’s latest assault on the most basic human freedoms—where even mourning a slain lawyer becomes a punishable act,” said Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI executive director. “When peaceful citizens cannot mourn without being beaten and dragged away, it reveals a government terrified of truth and accountability. It also reveals the extraordinary bravery of Iranians who refuse to surrender their dignity,” said Ghaemi. A source who was present at the memorial service told CHRI:
“The arrests of Narges Mohammadi and Sepideh Gholian were carried out with severe violence. In addition to these activists, several other attendees were also arrested by security forces.”
The same eyewitness added:
“Security forces had blocked the streets surrounding the mosque hours in advance, and as a result, a large number of people were unable to reach the mosque. Still, many people gathered, and this led to a crowd forming on a street near the mosque. Ms. Mohammadi gave a brief speech there, and the arrests took place in that very spot.”
A source told HRANA: “The agents also attempted to arrest Javad Alikordi, the brother of Khosrow Alikordi, but the people present at the ceremony prevented it. The streets around Ghadir Mosque were blocked, and security forces were stopping people from entering the area.” Earlier, a knowledgeable source had told CHRI that “Some civil and political activists who had traveled to Mashhad in recent days to visit Mr. Alikordi’s family were approached by security agents upon arrival at the airport and were told that they must not give speeches at Mr. Alikordi’s ceremony.” CHRI will continue to provide updates to this developing story.
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