Iran Sentences Nobel Laureate Mohammadi to Seven More Years in Prison
Iran has handed down a new prison sentence of more than seven years to Narges Mohammadi, the Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in a move that has drawn sharp international criticism and raised further concerns about the country’s crackdown on dissent.
Reuters
Supporters and legal representatives say the sentence was issued on February 8, 2026, by a Revolutionary Court in the northeastern city of Mashhad, where Mohammadi has been held since her arrest in December. It comes amid a broader government effort to silence critics and activists at a time of heightened political sensitivity in Iran.
A New Sentence and Its Conditions
According to Mohammadi’s lawyer, Mostafa Nili, Mohammadi was sentenced to:
6 years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security”
1.5 years for “propaganda against the government”
A two-year ban on travel
Two years of internal exile to the city of Khusf in South Khorasan province
Reuters
The combined sentence amounts to approximately 7½ years of additional imprisonment, on top of a previous sentence that has kept Mohammadi behind bars for extensive periods over the past decade. Iran’s foreign ministry has not publicly acknowledged the new sentencing.
Geo News
Detention and Hunger Strike
Mohammadi, who is now 53, was arrested on December 12, 2025 after speaking out at a memorial ceremony for human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose death under unclear circumstances earlier in the year had sparked protests among activists. The authorities accused her of encouraging “norm-breaking slogans” at the event — allegations her supporters describe as politically motivated.
Reuters
In early February, Mohammadi launched a week-long hunger strike to protest prison conditions and her inability to contact her lawyers and family. Her health deteriorated significantly during the hunger strike, prompting concerns among rights advocates about her safety.
Al Jazeera
A Life of Activism and Imprisonment
Narges Mohammadi has long been a prominent figure in Iran’s human rights movement. She has campaigned tirelessly against the death penalty, for women’s rights, and in opposition to state repression. Mohammadi is deputy director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) and has been detained repeatedly since the late 1990s for her activism.
AIPDHE
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 in recognition of her decades-long struggle for human rights under challenging and often dangerous conditions. When the prize was announced, Mohammadi was already in prison, and her children accepted the award on her behalf.
Geo News
Despite her international recognition, Mohammadi has spent much of the past decade in and out of prison. Even during previous periods of ill health, including after surgeries and hunger strikes, authorities have either returned her to detention or denied requests for extended medical leave.
hrw.org
Domestic and International Reaction
The latest sentence has drawn sharp reactions from rights groups and foreign governments.
Human rights organizations describe the ruling as part of a systematic crackdown on dissent in Iran, especially following nationwide protests that began in late December 2025. These demonstrations were fuelled by public anger over political repression and the suspicious death of activists like Alikordi.
International figures have called for Mohammadi’s release and urged Iran to respect its obligations under international human rights law, including freedom of expression and fair trial standards. Critics argue that the additional prison term exemplifies how authorities use national security laws to stifle peaceful activism.
hrw.org
Legal Context in Iran
The sentence was issued by a Revolutionary Court, a parallel judicial system in Iran that handles cases involving “national security” and political charges. These courts have been criticised by rights groups for opaque procedures, limited defence rights, and close alignment with security agencies.
PBS
Revolutionary Courts often try political activists, journalists, and dissidents on charges such as “collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the system,” both of which carry heavy sentences. The new sentence against Mohammadi follows this pattern of legal practice, which critics assert is used to suppress dissenting voices.
Geo News
Health and Human Rights Concerns
Mohammadi’s health has been a subject of ongoing concern. During her imprisonment, she has suffered serious medical issues and has at times been denied adequate treatment, rights groups say. The hunger strike in early February further aggravated those concerns, with supporters warning that continued detention in harsh conditions could be life-threatening.
Al Jazeera
Human rights advocates have urged that she be granted medical parole or transferred to proper care facilities, arguing that her deteriorating condition underscores the humanitarian dimensions of her case.
hrw.org
The Broader Climate of Repression
Mohammadi’s sentencing comes amid an intensifying pattern of suppression targeting critics and reformists in Iran. Authorities have detained other political figures and activists in recent weeks, tightening restrictions on civil society and political expression while negotiating with the United States over sensitive issues like Iran’s nuclear programme.
The sentencing highlights the complex and often conflicting dynamics in Iranian politics: on one hand, Tehran seeks to project strength on the international stage; on the other, it continues a robust internal crackdown against voices calling for greater rights and accountability.
As the legal avenues narrow for activists within Iran, international attention and pressure are likely to remain focused on cases like Mohammadi’s, where issues of human rights, national security, and political dissent intersect in a highly contentious environment.
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