Prosecutors in Iran have granted Narges Mohammadi, a jailed activist and Nobel laureate, a temporary release from prison for 21 days to recover from recent surgery, according to her foundation. This decision was announced on Wednesday.
Mohammadi's legal team had been advocating for her to receive adequate recovery time and medical attention following an operation to remove a suspected cancerous lesion from her leg. The Narges Foundation has called for at least three months of recovery outside prison, citing overcrowded and unsanitary conditions that could jeopardize her health.
The foundation stated, "A 21-day suspension of Narges Mohammadi’s sentence is inadequate." They emphasized that after over a decade of imprisonment, Mohammadi needs specialized medical care in a safe environment, which they describe as a basic human right.
At 52, Mohammadi is serving a sentence in a Tehran prison for "spreading anti-state propaganda" due to her critiques of the Iranian government and its restrictions on women's rights. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023.
Her health has significantly declined during her incarceration, with reports of multiple heart attacks in 2022. Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, who resides in France with their two children, noted that the Iranian government had delayed medical treatment for her for months.
Rahmani stated, "She has a problem with her digestive system, and lumps were found in her breasts," adding that her hospital visit occurred five months after her initial request. He also mentioned that she had been denied visitors and phone calls.
Following the announcement of her temporary release, Rahmani expressed joy but reiterated the need for her permanent freedom. Their children were able to speak with Mohammadi for the first time in nearly three years, resulting in an emotional conversation.
Upon her release, a video captured Mohammadi arriving home in an ambulance, wearing a sleeveless floral dress and shouting, "Hello, freedom! Freedom is our right. Long live freedom," alongside the rallying cry of the women’s uprising, "Women, life, freedom!"
According to her foundation, Mohammadi's prison sentence will be extended by 21 days to account for her absence during this period. The foundation and her family had sought a “medical furlough” that would have allowed this time to count towards her prison term.
Mohammadi has been an activist for three decades, having been detained by Iran’s morality police at the age of 19. While she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, her children accepted it on her behalf as she remained imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison.
Throughout her activism, Mohammadi has faced multiple arrests and convictions, while also playing a significant role in the mobilization of the 2022 antigovernment protests in Iran, which were notably led by women and girls. Even while imprisoned, she has facilitated workshops for other women.
As her health deteriorated, two fellow prisoners, Motahareh Goonei and Vida Rabbani, went on hunger strike in protest of the alleged denial of medical care for Mohammadi. Rabbani sent a letter from prison detailing the neglect of Mohammadi’s surgical wounds.
On the occasion of her children's 18th birthday, Mohammadi issued a statement from prison addressing them, highlighting the oppressive conditions under which they live. The Nobel Committee has called for the Iranian authorities to “permanently end” her imprisonment and ensure she receives the necessary medical treatment.