In a horrifying display of tyranny that has shocked the world, Iranian security forces violently stormed a memorial ceremony in Mashhad on December 12, 2025, brutally arresting 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi along with at least nine other activists. Eyewitnesses describe how the defiant human rights icon was beaten on the legs, grabbed by her hair, and dragged away – exposing the dangerous brutality of the Islamic Republic's regime against anyone daring to challenge its iron grip.
This brazen attack occurred at the seventh-day memorial for human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, whose suspicious death on December 5, 2025, has fueled accusations of state murder. Mohammadi, out on temporary medical leave from Evin prison since December 2024, fearlessly addressed the crowd without a hijab, leading chants like "Death to the dictator!" – a direct defiance that apparently triggered the regime's savage response.
Latest update: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has condemned the "brutal" arrest and demanded Mohammadi's immediate release, highlighting growing international outrage over Iran's escalating crackdown on dissidents. Source: Reuters
But is this just the tip of the iceberg? As Mohammadi has long predicted the inevitable downfall of the clerical system, this violent detention raises alarming questions about how far the regime will go to silence voices of freedom – and whether the world will finally wake up to the truth.
The Violent Raid: What Really Happened
Supporters report that security forces raided the mosque in Mashhad, using teargas and extreme violence despite many activists suffering serious health issues. Mohammadi's brother, Hamid Mohammadi, told AFP from Oslo: "Narges was beaten on the legs and she was held by her hair and dragged down."
Among those detained were prominent activists like Sepideh Gholian (previously imprisoned with Mohammadi in Evin), Pouran Nazemi, and others. Footage shows Mohammadi climbing onto a vehicle with a microphone, rallying the crowd with powerful slogans: "Long live Iran," "We fight, we die, we accept no humiliation," and "Death to the dictator."
The memorial was for 45-year-old lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, who defended protesters from the 2022-2023 uprising sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody. Rights groups, including Iran Human Rights, demand an investigation into his "highly suspicious" death, labeled by some as potential state murder.
Years of Defiance Behind Bars
At 53, Narges Mohammadi has spent much of the last decade in prison, facing multiple sentences totaling over 30 years for "acting against national security" and anti-death penalty campaigning. Released temporarily in December 2024 for health reasons – including lung, heart, and post-surgery issues – she remained fiercely active: refusing the mandatory hijab, meeting activists nationwide, and speaking out via video.
Her twin children accepted the Nobel Prize on her behalf in 2023, as she hasn't seen them in 11 years due to a permanent exit ban. In a recent birthday message, Mohammadi taunted authorities: while they "stamp the word ‘permanent’ on our documents," they live "in fear of the fall that will inevitably come at the hands of the people of Iran."
Her brother warns that re-imprisonment could devastate her fragile health: "What worries me most is that they will put a lot of pressure on her physical and psychological condition."
The Regime's Desperate Crackdown
This arrest comes amid Iran's ongoing suppression of the 2022-2023 protests demanding women's freedom and broader political change. Mohammadi, honored for her two-decade fight against oppression, continues to prophesy the clerical regime's collapse – a prediction that clearly terrifies those in power.
As international voices, including the Nobel Committee, demand her release and clarity on her whereabouts, one thing is clear: the Iranian regime's brutal tactics only expose its weakness. How much longer can this tyranny survive the unbreakable spirit of heroes like Narges Mohammadi?
Stay tuned – the truth is emerging, and the world can't ignore it forever.