By Blessing Nweke

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been transferred from prison to a hospital in Tehran after her health sharply deteriorated, according to a statement released Sunday by her foundation.

The 53- year- old activist had reportedly collapsed twice while being held in Zanjan prison and was initially taken to a local hospital on May 1. Her family and supporters had repeatedly urged Iranian authorities to provide urgent medical treatment, describing her condition as critical.

The foundation said Mohammadi’s prison sentence has been temporarily suspended on bail, though it remains unclear for how long the suspension will last. The organization stressed that temporary release was insufficient, insisting she requires permanent specialized medical care outside prison.

“We must ensure she never returns to prison to face the 18 years remaining on her sentence,” the statement said, calling for her unconditional release and the dismissal of all charges.

Mohammadi’s lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said the transfer order followed a recommendation by Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization, which concluded that her multiple illnesses required continued treatment under her own medical team in Tehran.

Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on the case.

Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, who lives in Oslo, said earlier recommendations for her transfer had allegedly been blocked by Iran’s intelligence agency. “I’m relieved now. I can breathe lightly,” he told The Associated Press.

Mohammadi, awarded the Norwegian Nobel Committee Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while imprisoned, has faced repeated arrests during her activism. Her family says she suffered worsening health problems in custody, including a heart attack and complications from a lung blood clot requiring ongoing monitoring and treatment.