Sam Rajabi, Imprisoned Environmental Activist in Iran, Contracts Coronavirus
Following a positive coronavirus test result for Sam Rajabi, one of Iran’s imprisoned environmental activists, he has been returned to Evin Prison from a hospital outside the prison.
Katayoun Rajabi, the sister of this imprisoned environmental activist, announced on Wednesday, April 23, via a post on Twitter that Sam Rajabi, who also suffers from a lung disease, was transferred to a hospital outside the prison to follow up on his medical condition and undergo surgery. During a pre-surgery test, it was determined that he had contracted the coronavirus, and as a result, he was immediately returned to Evin Prison.
According to her statement, upon the return of this environmental activist to the prison, prison authorities transferred him to quarantine and announced that Sam Rajabi would be held in prison quarantine until his recovery.
Katayoun Rajabi also stated in another post on Twitter that she holds the judiciary responsible for her brother’s life and announced that all individuals who have been in contact with Sam Rajabi to date, including his cellmates, should be tested.
Ms. Rajabi had announced on March 19 of last year via a post on Twitter that the results of Sam Rajabi’s tests, who had visited Evin Prison’s medical clinic with symptoms such as cough, fever, and headache and was transferred to Tehran’s Taleghani Hospital due to suspected coronavirus, were negative for coronavirus and he was diagnosed with influenza and returned to prison.
In early March of last year, Ibrahim Raisi, Head of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic, issued a new circular ordering limited furlough for a group of imprisoned inmates under certain conditions. According to one of the provisions of this circular, political prisoners sentenced to more than 5 years imprisonment on charges of “actions against national security” are “exempted from furlough.”
As a result, most ideological political prisoners, including Sam Rajabi, who have sentences exceeding 5 years, are not covered by this circular, and despite the spread of coronavirus in Iranian prisons, the life of this imprisoned environmental activist and countless other prisoners have been put at risk.
Sam Rajabi is one of eight environmental activists who was arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps more than two years ago and was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment on Tuesday, February 17. The issuance of this sentence drew reactions from several human rights organizations and the U.S. State Department.
Source: Voice of America
