In brief
Iran’s Narges Mohammadi, a human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize winner, is temporarily released from prison for medical recovery following surgery, with ongoing health battles noted.
Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel laureate and human rights activist imprisoned in Iran, has been granted a 21-day leave from prison for recovery after a recent medical procedure. Her foundation announced on Wednesday that this decision came after her legal team urged authorities to address her deteriorating health conditions due to a leg surgery. The operation, aimed at removing a lesion potentially linked to cancer, was vital as her health had significantly declined, prompting her fellow inmates to go on a hunger strike in protest of her imprisonment. Upon her return, Mohammadi’s prison sentence will be extended by 21 days to account for her medical absence. Currently serving time for “spreading anti-state propaganda” through her activism against government oppression, the 52-year-old has faced serious health challenges during her incarceration, including multiple heart attacks last year. Additionally, Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, a recognition accepted by her children in her stead while she remains confined.
