Iran's Imprisoned Nobel Laureate Again Denied Medical Care

Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was once again denied medical care for refusing to wear the mandatory hijab.

In a post on her Instagram, an audio file was shared in which female prisoners chant, "Prisoners, Support, Support!"

Originally scheduled for a cardiac angioplasty on Wednesday, Narges Mohammadi's transfer from Evin Prison to the hospital was thwarted, citing her refusal to comply with mandatory hijab, a position she has stood firm on during her years in and out of detention.

Medical tests conducted last week revealed Mohammadi's critical health condition, including "blockage in two heart arteries, fluid accumulation around the heart, and severe inflammation of the gallbladder."

Mohammadi had previously reported her transfer to the hospital on November 8, without a headscarf and wearing a business suit. However, she returned to prison shortly afterward.

Since November 6, Mohammadi had been on a hunger strike in protest against the "Islamic Republic's policy of delaying medical attention for sick prisoners, risking the health and lives of human beings" and "the policy of death or compulsory hijab for Iranian women." She was refusing to comply with hijab laws in exchange for treatment. 

Following her civil rights activism, Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023. International human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, strongly condemned denying Mohammadi access to medical care, and the Nobel Committee expressed severe concern about her health.