Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is reportedly in critical condition after spending five days in a guarded hospital due to a heart ailment, according to her supporters.
Her attorney, Chirinne Ardakani, who is based in Paris, emphasized during a press conference that the struggle extends beyond securing Mohammadi’s freedom; it also involves preserving her life. He described the current situation as one in which she is “between life and death.”
Jonathan Dagher, a representative from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which is part of the support network for Mohammadi, stated that this is the first time they have openly acknowledged the severe threat to her life. “We must act before it is too late,” he urged.
At 54 years old, Mohammadi has faced imprisonment intermittently for nearly twenty years due to her activism. She was last arrested in December after publicly criticizing the Iranian regime during a lawyer’s funeral. Her supporters report that she has been suffering from a heart condition and experienced two suspected heart attacks while incarcerated in Zanjan, Iran, on March 24 and May 1.
Following the latter incident, she was taken to a hospital for treatment but remains under heavy surveillance, according to Ardakani. He expressed grave concerns about her deteriorating health, stating, “We have never been so afraid for Narges’s life; she could leave us at any moment.”
In addition to her health issues, Mohammadi has lost 20 kilograms (44 pounds) while in custody, struggles to speak, and is described as “unrecognizable” compared to her condition prior to her latest arrest.
Supporters are advocating for her transfer to Tehran, where she could receive care from her personal medical team; however, there have been no indications that she will be moved from Zanjan.
Mohammadi’s twin teenage children and her husband reside in Paris. Ardakani has called upon the French foreign ministry and President Emmanuel Macron to adopt a firmer stance regarding her situation, stating, “We are expecting Macron to take a strong position. I don’t think this is something excessive.”
