According to an Instagram post from her family, an Iranian court has handed Nobel laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi an additional 15-month prison term. The supplementary sentence has been given to Mohammadi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October last year, for allegedly “spreading propaganda” against the country’s Islamic Republic. The basis for this decision reportedly lies in her refusal to participate in interrogations and trial sessions in court. If interested, more information about this event is available here.
The recent trial was carried out on December 19, 2023, in Mohammadi’s absence at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. This trial was reportedly initiated following a complaint from the Ministry of Intelligence. The verdict was issued promptly in that session without Mohammadi’s presence.
As disclosed by Mohammadi’s family, the Islamic Revolutionary Court’s verdict includes fifteen months in prison, two years of exile outside Tehran and its neighboring provinces, a two-year travel restriction, a two-year ban on participation in socio-political groups and a two-year prohibition on using a smartphone.
After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize last year, Mohammadi became the 19th woman and the second Iranian woman to earn this honor, following human rights activist Shirin Ebadi who won in 2003. Currently serving as the director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), Mohammadi has faced prison terms since 1998 due to multiple convictions. She has been behind bars 13 times, totaling 31 years and has been convicted five times.
Mohammadi’s most recent conviction resulted from her role in the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who lost her life in police custody following her detention by Iranian police for wearing an “improper” hijab. Currently, Mohammadi is under incarceration in Tehran’s Evin prison.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted in its 2022 prison census report that Iran remains the worst “jailer of journalists.” More on this report can be found here.