South Azerbaijanian rights activist Narges Mohammadi arrested in Tehran

7 May 2015 6:59

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news code: 1839

South Azerbaijanian rights activist Narges Mohammadi arrested in Tehran

Araz News: South Azerbaijanian opposition websites and human rights groups say a prominent human rights activist, Narges Mohammadi, has been arrested by state security agents in Tehran.

The Kaleme.com opposition website reported that Mohammadi was arrested at her home on Tuesday. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group also reported the activist’s arrest and called for her immediate release.

Mohammadi is a close associate of the Nobel peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and was a vice-president of Ebadi’s now-banned Defenders of Human Rights Centre. She told the New York-based International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran last week that an Iranian court had charged her with a number of national security offences related to her activism.

Iranian officials in Tehran had no immediate comment on Mohammadi’s reported arrest.

Mohammadi was born in Zanjan, Iran. She attended Imam Khomeini International University, receiving a degree in physics, and became a professional engineer. During her university career, she wrote articles supporting women’s rights in the student newspaper and was arrested at two meetings of the political student group Tashakkol Daaneshjooei Roshangaraan (“Illuminating Student Group”). She was also active in a mountain climbing group, but due to her political activities, was later banned from joining climbs.

TGN