Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Denied Essential Medical Care after Reported Heart Attack in Prison

An update on the critical health of Narges Mohammadi by the Free Narges Coalition amid armed conflict in the Middle East.

The Free Narges Coalition is gravely concerned regarding the well-being and denial of independent medical care for Narges Mohammadi, based on recent reports received from Iran. On 29 March–after weeks of persistent follow-up and despite the compounded difficulties amid the  armed conflict and shutdown of virtually all forms of communications by the Iranian government, Mohammadi’s legal team, accompanied by one family member, visited her in Zanjan Prison under heightened security surveillance. Her general health was extremely poor, and she appeared pale and weak with significant weight loss when brought to the visitation room by a prison nurse.

The Free Narges Coalition Steering Committee said: “Narges Mohammadi’s life is in imminent danger, and we call on Iranian authorities to heed our warning and provide the medical care that she urgently needs, by granting her an immediate medical furlough. The violation of the ‘principle of separation of crimes’, housing Mohammadi with violent offenders despite her critical heart disease and recent physical trauma and injuries, coupled with wartime conditions and explosions now directly threatening prisoners’ lives and well-being, are exacerbating this threat to her life. Furthermore, we call for the immediate release on humanitarian grounds of all jailed human rights defenders, writers, and journalists; under these dangerous conditions, their safety can only be guaranteed by their removal from prisons and other detention zones, and Iranian law has provisions for their temporary release during wartime.”

On 24 March, Mohammadi was found unconscious in her bed, with her eyes rolled back. According to cellmates, this state of unconsciousness, accompanied by cold limbs and body numbness, lasted for more than an hour. Fellow inmates reportedly wrapped her in a blanket and carried her to the women's ward infirmary, where medication was administered to restore her consciousness. Despite this medical emergency, and evident indications of a heart attack, authorities refused to transfer Mohammadi to a hospital or allow her to visit a specialist.

Furthermore, Mohammadi reported ongoing debilitating headaches accompanied by nausea, double vision, and decreased vision in both eyes, making it impossible for her to read. These symptoms began after her violent arrest on 12 December 2025 in Mashhad, during which she was subjected to severe and repeated blows to her head. She also suffers from severe blood pressure fluctuations, which doctors consider highly alarming given her history of pulmonary and cardiac issues, and the presence of a stent in her heart. Additionally, Mohammadi stated that 107 days after her arrest, bruises are still visible on her body, testifying to the extreme violence employed during her arrest.

Mohammadi reported that following a loss of consciousness at the Mashhad detention center, a specialist urgently recommended an angiography; instead, she was transferred to Zanjan Prison. She noted that shortly after the war began, reports of nearby strikes and massive explosions heard from within the prison, added to her severe stress. Most recently on 31 March, U.S and Israel airstrikes hit south of Zanjan, only several kilometers away from the prison where Mohammadi is kept alongside prisoners convicted of violent crimes, including murder and drug offenses. Reports also indicate that some of these prisoners have constantly subjected her to harassment, abuse, and threats.

The Zanjan Prosecutor has restricted her communications to calls under three minutes with siblings only, while barring all contact with lawyers. He also mandated that all visits occur under the presence of authorities, measures that constitute a flagrant violation of human rights law.

On 10 February 2026, Mohammadi was secretly transferred to Zanjan for the third time during her several long  detention periods. Previously, on 7 February 2026, Mohammadi’s lawyer announced that the Nobel laureate had been sentenced by Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court to six years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and 18 months on the charge of “propaganda against the state.” Additionally, the judge issued supplementary punishments, including two years of internal exile to the city of Khosf, South Khorasan province in Iran and a two-year additional travel ban. Mohammadi is currently serving multiple prison sentences while facing around 18 years of imprisonment.

While a number of women human rights defenders were temporarily released leading up to the Iranian New Year on March 20, the Free Narges Coalition demands broader action and calls on all parties to the conflict to uphold international law and protect those deprived of liberty. Sites where human rights defenders are unjustly detained must not be targeted. Iranian authorities should immediately release Narges Mohammadi and all detained prisoners of conscience, ensuring their access to healthcare, family, legal counsel, and independent monitoring.

Narges Mohammadi is a human rights defender, author, and journalist in Iran who has spent more than 10 years of her life in prison. She is the recipient of numerous international awards for her tireless struggle for human rights, including the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, the 2023 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, the 2023 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, and the 2022 Reporters Without Borders Prize for Courage.

This statement is issued by the Free Narges Coalition Steering Committee and may not reflect the views of all members. The Committee is led by the Narges Foundation, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Front Line Defenders.

Contact the Steering Committee members: Narges Foundation: info@narges.foundation; Karin Deutsch Karlekar, PEN America, kdkarlekar@pen.org; Jonathan Dagher, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), jdagher@rsf.org; and Front Line Defenders, campaigns@frontlinedefenders.org.

Join us in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Narges Mohammadi. For more information visit: www.narges.foundation/freenarges. 

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