Urge the Iranian government: Release Narges Mohammadi

Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi was arrested on 5 May 2015, at her home by intelligence ministry officials. She is currently being detained in Evin Prison. Call on the Iranian government to immediately release Narges, and to guarantee the protection of all human rights activists in Iran.

Narges Mohammadi is the Deputy Director and Spokeswoman of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC). She was elected as President of the Executive Committee of the National Council of Peace in Iran, a broad coalition against war and for the promotion of human rights. She has worked extensively with Nobel Peace Laureate, Shirin Ebadi.

At the time of the arrest, intelligence ministry officials stated that Narges Mohammadi was being taken into custody in order to serve the remainder of the six-year prison sentence she had received on 22 April 2012, from which the human rights defender was released on bail on 31 July 2012 for medical reasons. Her sentence had originally been for 11-years’ imprisonment, based on a false conviction for offenses including the spreading of propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran, supporting the families of political prisoners, membership of the DHRC and conspiring against national security.