Amnesty International: Arash Sadeghi’s Life is in Danger
Amnesty International has warned about the health condition of Arash Sadeghi, a political prisoner in Iran, stating that his life is at risk due to deprivation of medical treatment following cancer surgery.
Amnesty International expressed serious concern on Tuesday, August 22 (August 13) regarding the situation of Arash Sadeghi, a political prisoner and human rights defender, and issued a call urging people and human rights activists to support his immediate and unconditional release.
In the call issued by Amnesty International addressed to Saeed Namaki, Iran’s Health Minister, all human rights defenders and people have been asked to write letters to the ministry’s officials demanding attention to Arash Sadeghi’s health condition.
In Amnesty International’s statement, it is stated: “The life of Arash Sadeghi, an imprisoned human rights defender, is in danger due to deprivation of medical treatment following cancer surgery. He is severely ill and is being subjected to torture through deliberate and targeted deprivation of cancer-related treatment, which has caused him immense pain and suffering.”
Arash Sadeghi was arrested in June 2009 for protesting the election results. After three months, he was released on bail. He was arrested again in 2014 and spent six months in prison, being released on a 600 million toman bond. Sadeghi was arrested for the last time in 2016. He is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence in Rajai Shahr Prison due to his political and human rights activities.
After months of illness, in September 2018, Arash Sadeghi was hospitalized outside the prison in a hospital to remove a cancerous tumor in his right arm and underwent major surgery.
Amnesty International wrote that “despite doctors’ strong recommendation that Arash Sadeghi should remain hospitalized for at least 25 days and receive intensive specialized care to prevent serious dangers to his health and life, authorities transferred him back to prison three days later, on September 15.”
Doctors have warned that without continuous treatment, including chemotherapy, the cancer may spread to other parts of his body.
It is reported that since Arash Sadeghi’s return to prison, his physical condition has deteriorated. In Amnesty International’s statement, it is mentioned that this prisoner “due to deprivation of necessary post-operative care, his right arm has become severely infected, swollen, incapacitated, and numb.”
Amnesty International further emphasized that “the authorities’ deliberate refusal to provide medical care to Arash Sadeghi constitutes torture under international law.”
Amnesty International described “depriving Arash Sadeghi of vital medical care” as a “violation of his right to life.”
In 2017, Arash Sadeghi went on a hunger strike for more than three months in protest against the arrest of his wife, Golrokh Iraei.
Source: DW
