Atena Daemi; Returned from Operating Room Due to Refusal to Wear Shackles and Leg Irons

Today, Atena Daemi, a civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, was transferred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran for gallbladder surgery based on a previous arrangement. Despite prior agreements between prison officials, they intended to place shackles and leg irons on this sick prisoner, which was met with her resistance. Ms. Daemi’s refusal to wear shackles and leg irons while on the surgical bed led to the cancellation of the surgery and her return to prison.

According to a report by Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Human Rights Activists in Iran collective, after months of obstruction by Evin Prison’s medical department, Ms. Daemi was granted permission to be sent to a hospital for gallbladder removal surgery.

Ms. Daemi had a surgical appointment this morning at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran for gallbladder surgery, and based on this, she was transferred from prison to the hospital.

One of Ms. Daemi’s relatives explained to Hrana’s reporter: “Atena, after a long wait caused by Evin’s medical obstruction that had worsened and advanced her illness, was finally sent to Imam Khomeini Hospital for surgery based on a prior arrangement. She had previously informed the prison that in the context of human dignity, given that shackling and leg irons violate the physical and psychological conditions necessary for treatment, she would refuse to have them placed.”

The informed source continued: “The accompanying officials, while Atena was in the hospitalization and pre-surgery preparation phase, told her that by the order of the prison director she must wear shackles and leg irons, which met with Atena’s resistance and opposition. In such circumstances, the prison personnel who accompanied Atena at the hospital decided to cancel the surgery and return her to prison. Atena was returned to prison in the early afternoon today, and despite her poor physical condition, she is currently in the women’s ward of this prison.”

It should be noted that the follow-up by Ms. Daemi’s relatives with the relevant authorities did not lead to any particular result, as the judge overseeing the prison considered the order to place shackles and leg irons unrelated to his jurisdiction and held the prison director “Chaharmahali” responsible. On the other hand, Mr. Bakhtiari claims that placing shackles and leg irons on this ideological prisoner while heading to the operating room is due to the laws governing the prison and is not his order, and requires a prosecutor’s directive to be revoked. An explanation that the prosecutor apparently does not consider correct.

Now Atena Daemi, according to the doctor’s statement, the postponement of gallbladder surgery will advance her illness, is in an undefined situation in Evin Prison. On one hand, she insists on her human and legal rights, and on the other hand, the prison director, who had previously caused a delay in medical care for this prisoner through Evin’s medical obstruction, is unwilling to accept the humanitarian demands of this human rights activist in prison.

It is worth recalling that in late spring of this year, during the final days of Atena Daemi’s hunger strike, a specialist physician from a medical center outside Evin Prison visited this prisoner and, upon observing gallbladder problems, ordered her hospitalization. However, due to the interference of Evin Prison’s medical department and “Abbas Khani,” the head of this medical department, who accused Ms. Daemi of malingering, she was returned to prison and was unable to receive necessary medical services.

Problems that initially consisted of “initial gallstone sedimentation and early kidney infection” worsened under Evin’s medical obstruction in preventing this prisoner from being sent to advanced medical centers. Ms. Daemi continuously suffered from nausea during this period, had fever, and vomited bile.

Abbas Khani, the head of Evin’s medical department, claimed that because the family and Ms. Daemi herself were trying to obtain a medical file, he opposed sending her to medical centers outside the prison except for those he deemed appropriate.

Ultimately, Abbas Khani issued an order for Ms. Daemi to be sent to Imam Khomeini Hospital. There, tests such as ultrasound were performed again on Ms. Daemi and sent to the prison.

Evin’s medical officer, along with a note indicating no medical problems for Ms. Daemi based on the test results from Imam Khomeini Hospital, sent these results to the prosecutor’s representative, Mr. Haji Moradi.

On this basis, he accused Ms. Daemi of malingering and initiated a legal case against her for the alleged insult to prison officials, continuing his previous dispute with this protesting prisoner.

While Abbas Khani claimed that the results from his trusted hospital, Imam Khomeini Hospital, showed no medical problems, the Daemi family provided a copy of the results to other physicians, who surprisingly said that, contrary to the Evin medical officer’s claim, the test results showed a stone-filled gallbladder and advanced kidney infection for this prisoner, requiring immediate hospitalization.

Haji Moradi, the prosecutor’s representative, given the contradictory statements by physicians and Evin’s medical officer, provided the test results to legal medicine specialists and inquired with them on the matter.

Forensic medicine specialists, while rejecting the claims of Evin’s medical officer, confirmed the test results from Imam Khomeini Hospital regarding Ms. Daemi’s unsuitable medical condition and deemed the removal of her gallbladder probable.

Evin’s medical procedure in preventing Ms. Daemi’s treatment was not solely based on test interpretation but also included incorrect diagnosis, administering strong antibiotics related to gynecological health when Ms. Daemi’s infection was recorded in the kidney area.

It should be mentioned that Abbas Khani, the head of Evin Prison’s medical department, whose insistence on misinterpreting medical test results led nowhere, in another attempt, wrote in a letter to the prosecutor’s representative, claiming: “When Ms. Daemi’s gallbladder ruptures due to stone accumulation, we will send her for surgery; otherwise, there is no necessity for surgical transfer.”

His claim is while, in the diagnosis from spring of this year, the visiting physician believed that due to controllable levels of gallbladder disorder, stones could be removed with laser. However, now not only are physicians certain of this method, but it is stated that for many reasons, if forced to have surgery, it will be a surgery with the risk of infection.

Clearly, the progression of this illness and the increase in its fatal risks are the result of Evin Prison’s medical procedures and the person of the medical officer.

All of the above occurs while Abbas Khani, the head of Evin’s medical department, has initiated a file against Ms. Daemi under the title of “insult.” The root of this case stems from Atena Daemi’s discussion with Mr. Khani, as she was accused of malingering by him.

It is worth recalling that Abbas Khani, the head of Evin’s medical department, has similarly initiated a case against Maryam Nagash Zargaraan, another former ideological prisoner, citing similar reasons.

Atena (Fatemeh) Daemi, 29 years old, was previously arrested on the twenty-ninth of Mehr in 1393 and spent 86 days in solitary confinement in ward 2-A under interrogation. On the 28th of Dey month, 1393, after interrogations concluded, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison.