Narges Mohammadi's urgent need for sick leave to treat illness: "We are waiting for the opinion of the new prosecutor"

The husband of imprisoned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that she suffers from two serious illnesses that have required her to take sick leave and be hospitalized for months, but despite numerous requests from her lawyer and family, the Tehran prosecutor has not yet agreed to them for unknown reasons.

According to Taghi Rahmani, they are awaiting the new prosecutor's decision on Narges Mohammadi's leave status: "The prosecutor's approval is essential for her health." Since her arrest in Ardabehisht 2015, she has been transferred to the hospital many times due to her illnesses, but her medical leave has not been approved.

Taghi Rahmani told the campaign that Narges Mohammadi has problems with her uterus and lumps in her lungs that require hospitalization and treatment : “ Narges suffered a pulmonary embolism after giving birth. To control this disease, doctors always prescribed that she should take pills. She should not stop taking these pills during her period, but in the past year, Narges’ bleeding during her period has become severe. If she stops taking the pills, she will be at risk of pulmonary embolism. Last Saturday, after she became unwell in prison, she was transferred to the hospital. The doctors thought that the uterus should be removed, but they said that to be more certain, Narges should be hospitalized and monitored for a few days so that the best definitive decision can be made for her. However, the prison authorities opposed her stay and returned her to prison. ”

Narges Mohammadi's husband said about her other illness : " Three or four months ago, after taking an X-ray of Narges' lungs, they noticed a mass that could be dangerous. But for further diagnosis, the doctors prescribed that she should be hospitalized. However, there was opposition to this as well. "

Referring to Ms. Mohammadi's old illness , " muscle spasms, " Taghi Rahmani also said : " This illness, which is a result of her prison time, sometimes even ends in seizures and has been controlled with medication over the years. Narges' family and lawyer have repeatedly requested sick leave in recent months to allow her to be hospitalized for treatment of her uterus and also to diagnose lung masses, but the former prosecutor opposed it. Now we have to see what the new prosecutor thinks. "

Narges Mohammadi's husband emphasized that one-day dispatches are " more of aggravation ," saying : " These one-day dispatches to the hospital do not solve the problem, but rather cause more anxiety for Narges and her family. They send the patient to the hospital, the doctor gives a half-hearted opinion, and without enough time for treatment or even a proper diagnosis, they send him back to prison. Without anything having happened. "

Narges Mohammadi was arrested on May 6, 2015, two months after she met with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton at the Austrian embassy in Tehran and discussed the human rights situation in Iran. She was sentenced to 16 years in prison for membership in the Human Rights Defenders Association, assembly, collusion, and acting against national security, and propaganda against the regime. Under the new Islamic penal code, she must serve 10 years of this sentence.

This human rights activist, who has been suffering from muscular paralysis and pulmonary embolism since his arrest, has repeatedly requested leave for treatment, but has not been granted. His lawyer, Mohammad Behzadi Rad, said in an interview with ILNA news agency in July 2018 that his client should be able to use the "conditional release" law, given his physical condition.

In July 2018, Ms. Mohammadi wrote in her letter to Sadegh Amoli Larijani : “ Exercising pressure and controlling the helpless families of political prisoners, even to the extent of family visits, is not only a political and security issue, but also a decline in morality and human dignity.” Nearly a month after this letter, she was transferred to the hospital due to the return of her illness, and her condition is still unknown.

Narges Mohammadi was previously arrested after the events of 2009 and sentenced to six years in prison on security charges, but due to the same muscular paralysis and inability to tolerate prison, she was finally released from prison in 2013.

Source: Human Rights Campaign