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Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Handed Additional Seven-Year Prison Sentence by Iranian Court
Iranian authorities have sentenced Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent human rights activist Narges Mohammadi to more than seven additional years in prison, further intensifying international concern over Tehran’s crackdown on dissent. The verdict was delivered by a Revolutionary Court in Mashhad and includes a two-year travel ban and internal exile to the city of Khosf, located nearly 740 kilometres southeast of Tehran.
According to Mohammadi’s supporters and her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, the sentence was confirmed on Saturday following her recent hunger strike, which she began on February 2 in protest against political repression and prison conditions. Nili stated on social media platform X that Mohammadi received six years for “gathering and collusion,” one and a half years for “propaganda against the state,” and additional punitive measures restricting her movement.
The new convictions come amid heightened political tensions within Iran and as Tehran seeks to revive negotiations with the United States over its nuclear programme. Iranian officials have maintained a defiant posture, with the country’s top diplomat reiterating that Iran’s strength lies in its ability to resist pressure from major global powers. These remarks followed talks with US representatives in Oman aimed at averting further escalation.
Mohammadi, already serving multiple sentences, was arrested again in December while attending a ceremony honouring human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi in Mashhad. Video footage from the event showed her vocally demanding justice for political prisoners and victims of state repression. Supporters claim her arrest and sentencing are part of a broader effort to silence activists, journalists, and civil society figures in the wake of nationwide protests that have resulted in thousands of deaths, according to rights groups.
Iranian authorities have not officially acknowledged the latest ruling. International human rights organisations continue to call for Mohammadi’s immediate release, warning that her health is at serious risk due to prolonged imprisonment and hunger strikes.
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