Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi transferred to Tehran hospital
Iranian rights activist and women's rights champion Narges Mohammadi has been moved from prison to a hospital in Tehran, her foundation says.
May 10, 2026 - Nobel Peace laureate and activist Narges Mohammadi has been transferred to a Tehran hospital more than a week after collapsing in prison, her foundation stated on Sunday.
The transfer follows days of pleas by her family and others who described her condition as critical.
Her foundation reported that she has been granted a suspension of her prison sentence on bail, though the duration of this suspension remains unclear.
Mohammadi was initially imprisoned in December at Zanjan prison.
On May 1st, she lost consciousness twice and was admitted to a local hospital.
According to a statement from her foundation shared with The Associated Press, the suspended sentence is deemed insufficient by them.
They argue that Mohammadi requires 'permanent, specialized care.' Additionally, they emphasize the need to ensure she never returns to prison to serve the remaining 18 years of her sentence, advocating for her unconditional freedom and the dismissal of all charges against her.
Mohammadi's Iran-based lawyer, Mostafa Nili, noted on social media that the transfer order was issued following a decision by the Legal Medicine Organization—government-appointed medical examiners—who concluded based on medical evaluation that due to her multiple illnesses, she requires treatment outside prison and under her own medical team's supervision.
The Iranian authorities have not yet responded to this development.
Mohammadi's brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, who resides in Oslo, Norway, expressed relief at the transfer decision.
Previously, he had stated that medical experts recommended transferring her to Tehran but were blocked by Iran's intelligence agency.
Mohammadi, a 53-year-old champion of women’s rights and human rights activist, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while she was already imprisoned.
She has faced multiple imprisonments throughout her career, with her current incarceration beginning following her arrest in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.
Her family highlighted that her health has been deteriorating within prison, partly due to physical abuse during her arrest.
Mohammadi suffered a heart attack in March and had a pre-existing blood clot in her lung requiring medication and monitoring.
Since being treated at the Zanjan hospital's cardiac care unit, her blood pressure experienced extreme fluctuations, and she required oxygen for breathing and was unable to communicate.
The Nobel committee has urged Iranian authorities to immediately transfer Mohammadi into the care of her dedicated medical team in Tehran, warning that without such treatment, her life remains at risk.
The transfer follows days of pleas by her family and others who described her condition as critical.
Her foundation reported that she has been granted a suspension of her prison sentence on bail, though the duration of this suspension remains unclear.
Mohammadi was initially imprisoned in December at Zanjan prison.
On May 1st, she lost consciousness twice and was admitted to a local hospital.
According to a statement from her foundation shared with The Associated Press, the suspended sentence is deemed insufficient by them.
They argue that Mohammadi requires 'permanent, specialized care.' Additionally, they emphasize the need to ensure she never returns to prison to serve the remaining 18 years of her sentence, advocating for her unconditional freedom and the dismissal of all charges against her.
Mohammadi's Iran-based lawyer, Mostafa Nili, noted on social media that the transfer order was issued following a decision by the Legal Medicine Organization—government-appointed medical examiners—who concluded based on medical evaluation that due to her multiple illnesses, she requires treatment outside prison and under her own medical team's supervision.
The Iranian authorities have not yet responded to this development.
Mohammadi's brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, who resides in Oslo, Norway, expressed relief at the transfer decision.
Previously, he had stated that medical experts recommended transferring her to Tehran but were blocked by Iran's intelligence agency.
Mohammadi, a 53-year-old champion of women’s rights and human rights activist, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while she was already imprisoned.
She has faced multiple imprisonments throughout her career, with her current incarceration beginning following her arrest in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.
Her family highlighted that her health has been deteriorating within prison, partly due to physical abuse during her arrest.
Mohammadi suffered a heart attack in March and had a pre-existing blood clot in her lung requiring medication and monitoring.
Since being treated at the Zanjan hospital's cardiac care unit, her blood pressure experienced extreme fluctuations, and she required oxygen for breathing and was unable to communicate.
The Nobel committee has urged Iranian authorities to immediately transfer Mohammadi into the care of her dedicated medical team in Tehran, warning that without such treatment, her life remains at risk.
