Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi in critical condition after prison health crisis

Key facts

• Narges Mohammadi, 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was transferred from Zanjan Prison to a hospital on Friday.
• She suffered two episodes of complete loss of consciousness and a severe cardiac crisis.
• Her transfer came after 140 days of systematic medical neglect, according to her foundation.
• She was found unconscious by fellow inmates on March 24 and later told she likely had a heart attack.
• Mohammadi has a history of cardiac, lung, and blood pressure problems, including a pulmonary embolism and stenting.
• Her brother Hamidreza Mohammadi, based in Oslo, said prison officials are blocking her transfer to Tehran.
• Jorgen Watne Frydnes, head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, said her life is at risk.
• In February, she received an additional 7.5-year prison sentence.

A desperate last-minute transfer

Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was urgently moved from Zanjan Prison to a hospital in northwestern Iran on Friday after what her foundation described as a 'catastrophic deterioration' of her health. The 54-year-old activist had fainted twice in prison and suffered a severe cardiac crisis, including two episodes of complete loss of consciousness. The Narges Mohammadi Foundation stated that the transfer occurred 'after 140 days of systematic medical neglect' since her arrest on December 12. Prison doctors determined her condition could not be managed on-site, despite standing medical recommendations that she be treated by her specialized team in Tehran.

Family fears the worst

Mohammadi's family has been advocating for her transfer to adequate medical facilities for weeks. Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, who lives in Oslo, Norway, said in an audio message shared with the Associated Press that her family is 'fighting for her life.' He told the BBC's Newshour program that he wakes up 'waiting for the worst call' he could get. The foundation, quoting her family, called the transfer 'a desperate, last-minute action that may be too late to address her critical needs.' Hamidreza criticized the Iranian government for deliberately blocking his sister's access to medical help, saying, 'I have no doubt that the regime has decided to just get rid of people like Narges and other activists.'

A history of health crises and denial of care

On March 24, Mohammadi's fellow inmates found her unconscious. Her lawyers, who visited her a few days later, said she appeared pale, underweight, and needed a nurse to help her walk. A doctor at the prison clinic told her she had probably suffered a heart attack, and she had been experiencing chest pain and breathing difficulties since. Her legal representative in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said at the time that Mohammadi had been denied transfer to the hospital or to visit her cardiologist. A prison official was present throughout the brief visit by her lawyers. Hamidreza noted that her previous conditions, including a pulmonary embolism and having undergone stenting and angiography, made 'any treatment by the doctors in Zanjan effectively impossible.'

Current condition and calls for transfer to Tehran

As of Sunday, Mohammadi remains in critical condition in a cardiac care unit in Zanjan, two days after being rushed to hospital. Doctors have so far been limited to stabilizing her through oxygen therapy as her blood pressure continues to swing dangerously, according to the foundation. The foundation reiterated that proper treatment is only possible if she is moved to her own medical team in Tehran. As of Sunday, that transfer had not happened. Hamidreza said his sister should be transferred to a hospital in Tehran 'so that her own specialists, who have treated her previously, can take over her care.'

International outcry and wider context

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, told Reuters that Mohammadi's life is at risk. The Nobel committee has previously called on Tehran to release her immediately. Mohammadi was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against the oppression of women in Iran and her advocacy for human rights. She was arrested in December for her criticism of the authorities. In February, weeks before the US and Israel launched their war against Iran, the she had been handed a new prison sentence of seven and a half years. The Nobel committee responded by calling for her immediate release.

What comes next

The immediate priority is stabilizing Mohammadi's condition and securing her transfer to her specialists in Tehran. However, her brother accuses prosecutors in Zanjan of blocking all efforts. The international community, including human rights organizations, is closely watching the situation. The case highlights the ongoing repression of dissidents in Iran, where activists often face severe medical neglect while in detention. Mohammadi's fate remains uncertain, with her family and supporters urging swift action to save her life.

The bottom line

• Narges Mohammadi, 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is in critical condition after a suspected heart attack and two episodes of unconsciousness while in prison.
• She was transferred to a hospital in Zanjan after 140 days of systematic medical neglect, but her family says the move may be too late.
• Her brother and the Nobel committee are calling for her immediate transfer to her own medical team in Tehran.
• Mohammadi has a history of cardiac and pulmonary issues, and prison officials have repeatedly denied her adequate care.
• She received an additional 7.5-year prison sentence in February, amid a broader crackdown on activists in Iran.
• The Iranian government is accused of deliberately obstructing medical treatment for political prisoners.