Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi hospitalised in Iran after cardiac crisis

Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi hospitalised in Iran after cardiac crisis
An empty space showing that Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was not present during the award ceremony at Oslo City Hall, Norway, 10 December 2023.
Reuters

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been taken to hospital in Iran after what her family described as a “catastrophic deterioration” in her health, including a severe cardiac crisis.

The activist, who is in her 50s and is currently imprisoned, was transferred to a hospital in the city of Zanjan on Friday (1 May) after losing consciousness twice, according to a statement from the Narges Mohammadi Foundation.

“This transfer was done as an unavoidable necessity after prison doctors determined her condition could not be managed on-site,” the foundation said, adding that she had suffered “two episodes of complete loss of consciousness and a severe cardiac crisis”.

Her condition was said to have worsened after days of high blood pressure and severe nausea. The foundation said she fainted on Friday morning following repeated vomiting and was initially treated in the prison’s medical unit before being moved.

Health concerns grow

Joergen Watne Frydnes, head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said her condition had “deteriorated seriously” and called for her immediate release.

“She is imprisoned solely for her peaceful human rights work. Her life is now in the hands of the Iranian authorities,” he said.

The foundation said Mohammadi remains in an unstable condition and is receiving oxygen. It has called for her transfer to a specialist medical team in Tehran for further treatment.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm details of her condition.

Arrest and sentence

Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for her work campaigning for women’s rights and against the death penalty in Iran. She was in prison at the time of the award.

She was arrested again in December after criticising the authorities following the death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. Officials accused her of making “provocative remarks” at a memorial ceremony and encouraging protest chants.

In February, the foundation said she had been sentenced to a further seven and a half years in prison.

Her family has warned that her health condition poses a “direct and immediate” threat to her life and has called for her release.

“We call for all charges to be dropped immediately and for all sentences imposed for her peaceful human rights work to be unconditionally annulled,” the statement said.

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