Nobel Laureates Urge Iran to Free Gravely Ill Activist Narges Mohammadi
Nobel Laureates Urge Iran to Free Gravely Ill Activist Narges Mohammadi
More than 110 Nobel laureates urge Tehran to release gravely ill activist Narges Mohammadi, who is hospitalised and in urgent need of medical care.
More than 110 Nobel laureates have signed a joint appeal calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Narges Mohammadi, the Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The appeal follows Mohammadi’s transfer by ambulance to Tehran’s Pars hospital in a critical medical condition, with doctors describing the urgency of specialized treatment. The signatories urged authorities and the international community to act without delay to secure her release and ensure continued access to medical care. The statement notes that 112 laureates from fields including chemistry, economics, literature, medicine, peace and physics signed on, highlighting the breadth of concern from the global scientific and literary communities.
Mohammadi, renowned for decades of advocacy for women’s rights in Iran, has faced years of detention and has reportedly endured severe health issues in custody. Medical experts have warned that her life may be at imminent risk, with reports of significant weight loss, unstable blood pressure, and serious cardiac symptoms. She was reportedly found unconscious in her cell after a possible heart attack, and her hospital transfer is described by her representatives as a temporary measure to obtain the care she has been denied in detention. The appeal urges that she be granted immediate release and that all charges against her be dropped, stressing the necessity of regular access to specialists.
Among the signatories are notable figures such as Annie Ernaux and JM Coetzee, with the consortium spanning multiple disciplines. The call has drawn international attention to Mohammadi’s case, underscoring concerns about medical ethics and human rights for prisoners and activists. While Iran has not publicly commented on the appeal, observers say the situation tests the country’s commitments to medical care and due process amid broader regional questions about political imprisonment. The international community watches closely as advocates push for decisive action to protect Mohammadi’s health and freedom.
