Fainting spells and acute heart attack
The organization confirmed in an official statement, reported by the Associated Press, that Mohammadi suffered two episodes of complete loss of consciousness in prison on Friday, in addition to a severe heart attack. These developments follow a series of health setbacks that began in late March. It is believed she suffered an initial heart attack that did not receive adequate medical attention at the time. Her lawyers, who were able to visit her briefly recently, described her shocking condition; she appeared extremely pale and had lost a significant amount of weight. She is also no longer able to move or walk without the assistance of a nurse who helps her stand.
140 days of “systematic neglect”
The organization held the Iranian authorities fully responsible for the critical deterioration of Narges Mohammadi’s health, noting that her transfer to the hospital came after 140 days of systematic medical neglect since her latest arrest on December 12.
The statement explained that even prison doctors eventually admitted their inability to treat her critical condition within the prison walls. Therefore, transferring her to an outside facility became “unavoidable” and a last-minute measure.
The activist’s family had repeatedly appealed for help for weeks, demanding her transfer to a specialized hospital in Tehran where her usual medical team was available. However, the authorities refused to respond, making her current transfer to a hospital in Zanjan “possibly too late” to address her complex medical needs.
Security measures are tightened even during illness.
For her part, Shirin Ardakani, Mohammadi’s legal representative in France, revealed aspects of the security restrictions the activist has faced. She confirmed that Mohammadi has been denied access to her cardiologist for an extended period. She noted that security surveillance was constant, even during legal meetings, with a prison official present throughout her lawyer’s brief visit. This reflects the extent of the pressure exerted on her despite her fragile health.
Narges Mohammadi’s case remains a symbol of the struggle between freedom of expression and security repression. With her hospitalization in critical condition, the international community anxiously awaits the fate of this Iranian “voice of peace,” amid widespread human rights calls for her immediate release to receive proper medical treatment free from security restrictions.
