GENEVA — The Norwegian Nobel Committee demanded Wednesday that Iran immediately release imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi after what it said were credible reports of violent abuse in custody and a new prison term of more than seven years, Feb. 11, 2026.
The committee said Narges Mohammadi’s treatment amounted to “cruel, inhuman and degrading” punishment and urged Iranian authorities to ensure she receives medical care and access to family and lawyers, according to a Reuters report on the Nobel Committee’s statement.
Nobel Committee says Narges Mohammadi faced “cruel” treatment in detention
In its statement, the Nobel Committee said it was “deeply appalled” by reports detailing Narges Mohammadi’s arrest in December and her subsequent treatment behind bars. The committee reiterated that her imprisonment is “arbitrary and unjust” and tied the case to Iran’s broader crackdown on dissent since nationwide protests intensified in recent years, as described in the committee’s published statement on NobelPrize.org.
Rights advocates and supporters have raised alarms about Narges Mohammadi’s health, citing earlier medical issues and what they describe as repeated denial of adequate care. The Nobel Committee said it was acting on information it considered credible, while Iran has previously rejected allegations of mistreatment of political prisoners and has defended prosecutions as lawful.
Narges Mohammadi’s new 7.5-year sentence: what is known
News of the Nobel Committee’s demand followed reports that an Iranian court imposed an additional sentence of more than seven years on Narges Mohammadi. Her lawyer and supporters said the ruling totaled about 7.5 years, including six years for charges commonly translated as “assembly and collusion” and 18 months for “propaganda,” according to The Guardian’s report citing her lawyer.
Reuters separately reported that the new prison term exceeded seven years and was linked to new charges, adding to an already lengthy history of convictions related to her activism, according to Reuters coverage of the verdict.
Al Jazeera reported the sentence was issued amid renewed pressure on activists and that supporters said she faced restrictions and harsh conditions in detention, according to Al Jazeera’s account.
Public details of court proceedings in Iran’s national security-related cases are often limited. Supporters of Narges Mohammadi have said she was transferred away from Tehran, complicating access for family and counsel, while Iranian authorities have not publicly released a comprehensive accounting of evidence in her case.
Why the Nobel Committee’s intervention matters for Narges Mohammadi
The Nobel Committee rarely issues urgent public demands tied to the immediate treatment of a specific laureate, making Wednesday’s statement a notable escalation in international pressure. The committee framed Narges Mohammadi’s case as a test of Iran’s compliance with international human rights obligations and as emblematic of risks faced by women’s rights and anti-death-penalty activists in the country.
European officials also criticized the new sentence and called for her release, reflecting broader diplomatic concern over Iran’s handling of political prisoners and women’s rights cases, according to a report on the EU reaction.
Continuity over time: Narges Mohammadi’s long-running case
Narges Mohammadi’s imprisonment did not begin with this latest sentence. For years, she has faced repeated arrests and convictions tied to her advocacy work, and rights groups have documented patterns of punitive prison conditions and medical pressure.
In January 2024, Amnesty International issued an urgent action warning that Iranian authorities were denying or delaying medical care for Narges Mohammadi, putting her health at risk, according to Amnesty’s urgent action page.
In June 2024, the Nobel Women’s Initiative condemned additional sentencing and urged sustained international advocacy for her freedom, according to the Nobel Women’s Initiative statement.
Front Line Defenders has also tracked earlier prosecutions and punishments against Narges Mohammadi, including sentences involving prison time and corporal punishment, as documented by Front Line Defenders.
In a separate statement, Amnesty described a 16-year sentence in an earlier phase of her case as a signal of intensified repression against human rights defenders, according to Amnesty International’s Netherlands section.
Together, those records show why supporters argue the latest developments are not an isolated event but part of a sustained effort to silence Narges Mohammadi and other activists through serial prosecutions, harsh detention conditions and restrictions on contact with the outside world.
What happens next for Narges Mohammadi
It remains unclear whether Iran will respond directly to the Nobel Committee’s demand. In similar cases, Iranian authorities have sometimes denied allegations of abuse, blamed unrest on foreign influence or pointed to court rulings as justification for continued detention.
For Narges Mohammadi’s supporters, the immediate priorities are physical safety, access to medical treatment and the lifting of restrictions on family and legal contact. The
