Activist Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Iran, faces an additional year in prison.
Imprisoned for much of the past two decades, Mohammadi received another prison sentence by authorities who accused her of conducting "anti-regime propaganda activities." This information was shared by her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, on social media.
The authorities claimed that Mohammadi's statements about Iranian student and journalist Dina Ghalibaf, who was arrested in April after accusing Iran's morality police of sexual assault, were a major factor in their decision.
Additionally, authorities cited a letter Mohammadi wrote urging Iranians to boycott parliamentary elections in February, as well as her correspondence with the Swedish and Norwegian parliaments.
Over the past three years, Mohammadi has gone through six trials in revolutionary and criminal courts, resulting in a total sentence of 13 years and three months in prison, 154 lashes, exile, and four months of street cleaning, according to Nili.
Her sentence was extended in January, when she was given an additional 15 months in prison after being charged with "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic Republic regime, her family reported.
Despite being in prison, Mohammadi hasn't stopped advocating for various causes. Recently, she wrote a letter calling for an end to the war in Gaza, condemning an Israeli strike on a refugee camp in Rafah that resulted in the death of over 45 Palestinians.
From her cell, Mohammadi has continued to support Iranian women who have held numerous protests in an attempt to challenge the regime's mandatory hijab rule.
Iran was shaken by nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who passed away in the custody of Iran's morality police after being arrested for reportedly wearing her headscarf improperly.
Mohammadi was honored with the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts opposing the suppression of women in Iran and fighting for human rights and freedom for all.
Mohammadi's teenage twins, Ali Rahmani and Kiana, received the award on her behalf and delivered the Nobel lecture in Oslo, Norway's capital. In their speech, they paid tribute to the Iranian people's determination to overthrow the "despotism and obstruction" of the Islamic Republic's regime.
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The extension of Mohammadi's imprisonment comes amidst ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Her advocacy for peace extends beyond her own situation, as she recently condemned an Israeli strike in Gaza.
Despite world leaders recognizing her nobility, with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to her in 2023, the Middle East continues to be a hotspot of geopolitical conflict.
