Memorial for Human Rights Lawyer Khosro Alikordi and the Arrest of Narges Mohammadi
The death of Mashhad-based human rights lawyer Khosro Alikordi continues to draw widespread attention as new developments leak out.
The death of Mashhad-based human rights lawyer Khosro Alikordi continues to draw widespread attention as new developments leak out. Narges Mohammadi, the prominent Iranian human rights activist, along with several others were also arrested during the seventh-day memorial for Alikordi, adding a new dimension to the unfolding situation.
Alikordi, known for representing numerous political detainees—including families of Abolfazl Adinezadeh and Fatemeh Sepehri—was found deceased in his office last week. Limited early information led to extensive speculation online, including claims that surveillance cameras at his office had been confiscated by security forces. Police also imposed security restrictions at the location where his body was discovered.
Officials in Razavi Khorasan Province stated that the Forensic Medicine Organization determined the cause of death to be a heart attack. On December 12, the Prosecutor’s Office in Mashhad released CCTV footage said to be recorded inside Alikordi’s office, showing him reviewing his phone before collapsing from his chair. According to Deputy Prosecutor Mohammadreza Dashtban, the footage supports the conclusion of a sudden medical event. Dashtban also stated that Alikordi’s brother confirmed his history of heart disease and use of medication. The Alikordi family has not yet commented publicly on the released footage.
These official statements were issued after widespread discussion and skepticism on social media, where some users questioned earlier reports or referenced contradictory information. Following the release of the footage by the Prosecutor’s Office, reactions remained divided, with some considering the video clarifying, while others noted that requests for access to all security recordings were still unresolved.
During the seventh-day memorial ceremony in Mashhad, tensions escalated. Reports indicated that a large crowd had attended the ceremony and that some of the speakers, including Mohammadi and Sepideh Gholian, had made comments critical of the government. Security forces confronted participants, leading to several violent arrests. The family of Narges Mohammadi reported her arrest, stating that she had been detained along with several activists who were present at the ceremony. According to the Narges Mohammadi Foundation, those arrested included Gholian, Hasti Amiri, Pouran Nazemi, Alieh Motallebzadeh, and others.
Ghazal Abdollahi, daughter of Alieh Motallebzadeh, told BBC Persian that two men—Asadollah Fahimi and Akbar Amini—were also detained. Political analyst Taghi Rahmani, Mohammadi’s husband, confirmed her arrest and described it as “violent,” adding that Mohammadi’s brother, present at the ceremony, had witnessed the confrontation. Rahmani described the security forces’ handling of participants as “contrary to human rights standards” and characterized the arrests as a form of “retaliation.” It remains unclear which security agency carried out the detentions.
Alikordi, 46, was buried last week in Sabzevar under a heavy security presence, with a large crowd attending the funeral. His death prompted strong reactions from families seeking justice in previous cases as well as from civil society figures. Some questioned the official account of a heart attack, while others emphasized the need for transparency in light of earlier conflicting reports. With the release of the CCTV footage by the Prosecutor’s Office, alongside calls for full access to all available evidence and concerns raised over the arrests at the memorial ceremony, discussions surrounding both the cause of Alikordi’s death and the events that followed remain ongoing.
NIAC urges additional transparency surrounding the death of Alikordi, and calls for the immediate release of all those arrested at Alikordi’s memorial - including Mohammadi, Gholian, Amiri, Nazemi, Motallebzadeh, Fahimi and Amini. Accusations of violence against those detained must be fully investigated, and any perpetrators of brutality at a memorial service held fully accountable.