Free Narges Coalition Demands Urgent Release of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Ahead of Iran’s UN Week

The Free Narges Coalition—a partnership of PEN America, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Front Line Defenders, and the Narges Mohammadi Foundation—is urging Iran for the immediate and unconditional release of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian prepares to address the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2024.

Mohammadi, a senior figure in Iran’s human rights and press freedom movement, has been detained in Evin Prison since November 2021. Her health has severely deteriorated: her coronary artery, already stented in 2021 for a 75 percent blockage, has worsened; she has persistent back pain; and an untreated benign breast lump was detected in mid-September. Despite urgent requests, she remains in prison, raising alarms that immediate medical furlough is vital to preserve her life and well-being.

Beyond medical concerns, the coalition highlights Mohammadi’s status as a human rights defender, journalist, and vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre. Her writings and activism—supporting women’s rights and exposing state abuses—earned her the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize alongside another Iranian women’s rights advocate, Elaheh Mohammadi. The coalition argues her imprisonment is “systematic political repression” that violates Iran’s obligations under international law, particularly poignant as the nation speaks on a global stage.

At the coalition’s September 20 statement, they called on UN member states to use diplomatic leverage—especially during President Pezeshkian’s visit—to press Tehran for Mohammadi’s release on humanitarian grounds. The coalition emphasises this could “effectively save her life” and send a powerful signal that Iran will be held accountable for human rights violations.

As Iran faces heightened scrutiny at the UN, the coalition stresses that ensuring justice and medical access for Mohammadi is “an urgent priority.” They urge global leaders to transform Pezeshkian’s speech into meaningful action rather than mere rhetoric.

In sum, the Free Narges Coalition is making a clear demand: release Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi now—health, humanity, and justice cannot wait.