Iran
The clock is ticking on the last diplomatic off-ramp
For years, Western policy toward Iran has been built on a quiet assumption: that the Islamic Republic can be managed, delayed, contained, but not fundamentally confronted.
The brother and lawyer of Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi said on Tuesday they have no information on her whereabouts or health, four days after her arrest.
Narges Mohammadi © IRT
The brother and lawyer of Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi said on Tuesday they have no information on her whereabouts or health, four days after her arrest.
Mohammadi was arrested on Friday after denouncing the suspicious death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi during his memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
"We have very little information about her health and we are very worried about how she's being held, where she's being held, and how she's treated," Hamid Mohammadi told reporters. He spoke after another brother in Iran, who cannot be named for security reasons, briefly spoke to her Monday night.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar said Saturday that Mohammadi and Alikordi's brother made provocative remarks at the memorial, encouraging "norm-breaking slogans" and "disturbing the peace."
COLLUDING AGAINST THE REPUBLIC
Hamid Mohammadi said his sister had confirmed she had been beaten and said she expected to be charged for "colluding against the Islamic Republic."
She was struck on the head, face, and neck by security forces and arrested along with at least 39 others at the memorial, Hamid Mohammadi said. He added that his elder brother had asked for an independent medical assessment, which authorities had refused.
Iran's foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment.
Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize whilst in prison in 2023, following her three-decade campaign for women's rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
She has previously served multiple sentences on charges including spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic. Late last year, she was released from Tehran's Evin prison after the suspension of her jail term to undergo medical treatment.
Her French lawyer, Chirinne Ardakani, said authorities will likely reactivate suspended sentences and bring her before a judge soon. "They have committed no crime except for exercising freedom of expression," Ardakani said.
She said she would present the case to the International Criminal Court as evidence of Iran's crackdown on activists.
By John Irish
For years, Western policy toward Iran has been built on a quiet assumption: that the Islamic Republic can be managed, delayed, contained, but not fundamentally confronted.
Iran’s top diplomat said on Friday that nuclear talks with the U.S. mediated by Oman were off to a “good start” and set to continue, in remarks that could help allay concern that failure to reach a deal might nudge the Middle East closer to war.
The United Arab Emirates has drafted plans to build a compound to house thousands of displaced Palestinians in a part of south Gaza under Israeli military control, according to a map seen by Reuters and people briefed on the plans.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.