Nobel Laureate Narges Granted Temporary Release

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi

In dramatic video footage from Tehran, Mohammadi, 52, was seen being taken out of an ambulance with her right leg encased in a fabric cast. Her black hair was exposed, defying the government’s strict dress code, as she shouted into the street: "Hello freedom!" She added, "Women, life, freedom! Freedom is our right! Long live freedom!"

The release, a medical furlough, will last for 21 days, but Mohammadi will be required to return to prison afterward to serve the remainder of her sentence. However, her supporters have called for her permanent release, condemning the Iranian authorities for only granting her a short reprieve.

"Narges Mohammadi’s 21-day suspension of her sentence is grossly inadequate," the campaign supporting her release stated. "After over a decade of imprisonment, Narges urgently needs specialized medical care in a safe, sanitary environment—basic human rights that have been denied to her. Doctors have emphasized that she requires at least three months for proper recovery."

The campaign continued: "Narges should never have been imprisoned in the first place for her peaceful advocacy for human and women's rights—work that earned her the Nobel Peace Prize."

Currently serving a combined sentence of 13 years and nine months, Mohammadi faces charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against the government. Despite repeated imprisonments, she has remained resolute in her activism, particularly in supporting the nationwide, women-led protests sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. These protests have seen women openly defy Iran's oppressive hijab laws.

Mohammadi's health has been a source of growing concern. In 2022, she suffered multiple heart attacks while incarcerated, and in November 2024, her doctors discovered a bone lesion, later identified as a potential cancer risk, which led to the recent surgery.

"We are relieved by Narges Mohammadi’s temporary release today from Evin prison," said Rebecca Vincent of Reporters Without Borders. "It marks a step in the right direction, but we remain deeply concerned about her health and urge the Iranian authorities to grant her sufficient time at home to recover fully."

Her release comes amid a strained Iranian economy, battered by international sanctions related to Tehran’s nuclear program, and increasing public frustration over government corruption and the devaluation of the national currency. These factors have sparked widespread protests and a harsh government crackdown on dissent.

Meanwhile, the potential return of former President Donald Trump to the White House in January has raised concerns about a resurgence of the “maximum pressure” campaign against the Iranian government, further complicating the country’s already tenuous international standing.