OSLO, Dec 12, 2025 (Reuters): The Norwegian Nobel Committee today condemned what it said the “brutal” arrest of Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, calling for her immediate release.
In a statement, the committee demanded that Iranian authorities clarify her whereabouts, ensure her safety and release her without any conditions.
Mohammadi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for her tireless, three-decade-long campaign for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran, has faced multiple arrests and imprisonments on charges such as spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic. She was released from Tehran’s notorious Evin prison late last year after her sentence was temporarily suspended to allow for medical treatment.
The committee’s call for her release came a day after the arrival in Norway of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, who was in Oslo to collect her award. The timing of Mohammadi’s arrest has raised concerns, as the committee noted the close political ties between the Iranian and Venezuelan regimes.
“Given the collaboration between the regimes in Iran and Venezuela, the Norwegian Nobel Committee points out that Ms. Mohammadi’s arrest coincides with the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado,” the statement read.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging Iranian authorities to respect Mohammadi’s rights and to release her without delay. The committee’s demand reflects growing international concern over the treatment of activists and human rights defenders in Iran, as well as the broader implications for freedom of expression and political dissent in the country.
