A support committee for Narges Mohammadi announced on Tuesday, May 5, that the imprisoned activist is “between life and death,” raising urgent concerns about her deteriorating condition.

Mohammadi, now in her early 50s, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in detention for her advocacy of women’s rights and her opposition to the death penalty in Iran. According to her family, she suffered a suspected heart attack in late March and was transferred to a hospital in northwestern Iran on May 1 as her health rapidly worsened.

Speaking at a press conference in Paris, her lawyer Chirinne Ardakani warned of the gravity of the situation. “We are not just fighting for the freedom of Narges, we are fighting so that her heart continues to beat,” she said.

Jonathan Dagher, representing the Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), echoed the alarm, stating: “This is the first time we are saying that she is between life and death, that there is a risk of death. We must act before it is too late.”

Mohammadi has spent much of the past two decades in and out of prison due to her activism. Her most recent arrest occurred in December after she publicly criticized the Iranian government during a funeral for a lawyer.

Her supporters report an “unprecedented degradation” in her health. Ardakani noted that Mohammadi has lost around 20 kilograms, struggles to speak, and is now “unrecognisable” compared to her condition prior to her latest detention.

Calls are growing for her immediate transfer to the capital, Tehran, where she could receive treatment from her personal medical team. However, there has been no indication that authorities plan to move her from Zanjan prison.

Mohammadi’s family, including her husband and twin teenage children, currently reside in Paris. Ardakani has urged Emmanuel Macron and the French foreign ministry to adopt a firmer stance in advocating for her release and medical care.