Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi was taken to the emergency room twice after her arrest last week by Iranian security forces, her family members said, after what they described as severe beatings during her detention in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the Associated Press reported.
In a statement on social media, Mohammadi's family said they spoke to her briefly by phone after her arrest and she described multiple blows that required emergency treatment.
Mohammadi, 53, was arrested Friday at a gathering linked to the death of human rights activist Khosrow Alikordi, according to the “Narges Mohammadi“ Foundation. Images shared by supporters show her speaking to a crowd shortly before security forces intervened. Others show her being taken away for medical attention.
Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on her family's version of events or responded to questions.
On Saturday, authorities said they had ordered security forces to temporarily detain a number of participants in the gathering after chanting slogans deemed "violating norms," and described the detention as a preventive measure for her own safety.
Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades of human rights work in Iran. She has been detained multiple times in the past for her activism, being released on medical grounds.