Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been handed further prison sentences of seven-and-a-half years by an Iranian court, her lawyer has said.
The human rights activist was sentenced to six years for gathering and collusion, and one-and-a-half years for propaganda activities by a court in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, Mostafa Nili announced on social media on Sunday.
Mohammadi was arrested in December for making provocative remarks at a memorial ceremony, Iranian authorities said at the time. Her family reported that she was taken to hospital after being beaten during the arrest.
The 53-year-old was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 for her activism against female oppression in Iran.
Nili noted that Mohammadi has also received a two-year ban on leaving the country and a two-year exile to the eastern Khusf region. The Narges Foundation, which supports her, described the hearing on Saturday as a sham and indicated that she began a hunger strike on 2 February.
According to Nili, Mohammadi was hospitalized three days ago due to her poor physical condition before being returned to the detention center. During a recent phone call, he noted, When she began to explain the events and how she was detained, the phone was disconnected.>
Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, stated that she offered no defense during the court proceedings, asserting that the judiciary lacks legitimacy. He claimed, She views these proceedings as a mere charade with a pre-determined end, and added that she did not sign any documents during the trial, refusing to participate in what she deems a sham legal process.
Additionally, Mohammadi's daughter, Kiana Rahmani, expressed her grave concerns for her mother's situation, underscoring the precariousness of Mohammadi's health and safety.
Over the years, Mohammadi has already spent more than 10 years imprisoned, and the latest ruling compounds her previous sentences, amounting to a staggering 44 years. Existing charges against her include propaganda activity against the state and collusion against state security, which she denies.
The activist experienced temporary release from Tehran's notorious Evin prison for three weeks in December 2024 on medical grounds but was expected to return to serve her multiple sentences shortly after. Her most recent arrest occurred while attending a memorial for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer found dead under suspicious circumstances, which has prompted calls for an independent investigation into his death.
The Narges Foundation claims eyewitnesses saw Mohammadi attacked by around 15 agents of the regime as she attending the memorial, with reports of her being physically assaulted during the incident.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar claimed that Mohammadi had been encouraging those present to chant slogans that disrupted the peace, emphasizing the Iranian government's continued crackdown on dissent and activists.
