Behnam Mousivand’s “Critical” Condition in Hospital; “Behnam’s Life Is in Serious Danger”

Reports on social media networks indicate that the physical condition of Behnam Mousivand, a political prisoner, is very critical after two weeks of hunger strike and his life is “in serious danger.”

Arash Sadeghi, a former political prisoner, in a tweet published Thursday morning, April 5, wrote about the latest condition of Mr. Mousivand after visiting the hospital where he is hospitalized: “We should expect bad news in the coming days.”

According to Mr. Sadeghi, Behnam Mousivand “has become a skeleton with what appears to be skin stretched over it. He had severe fever. He didn’t even have the ability to speak.”

This former political prisoner continued, saying that despite these “critical conditions” no apparatus existed in his room to monitor Mr. Mousivand’s heart rate and pulse.

Atena Daemi, another former prisoner, who went to the hospital to visit Mr. Mousivand, described his condition as “dangerous” and said that security forces did not allow her to be present in the hospital.

Ms. Daemi further warned that “it is a dangerous situation” and Behnam’s life is “in serious danger.”

Behnam Mousivand was beaten by prison officers starting on April 19 for refusing to wear shackles and ankle cuffs to receive medical treatment outside the prison and in protest of this situation went on a hunger strike. He was transferred from prison to hospital on April 28 due to deterioration of his condition.

This detained civil activist changed his hunger strike to a dry hunger strike starting Wednesday, April 14, due to the “insulting behavior” of officers toward his family.

Meanwhile, a source close to this political prisoner’s family told the human rights website Hrana on Wednesday about his health condition: “Behnam has lost a lot of weight and speaks with difficulty. He has stomach pain and nausea and is being injected with morphine to relieve pain.”

This informed source added: “Despite all these conditions, Mr. Mousivand is deprived of visits and his family, who have been present at the hospital the whole time, are not even allowed a few minutes of visitation.”

According to him, so far none of the prison officials and prosecutor have visited this political prisoner and do not respond to his family either.

Mr. Mousivand was sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court in September 2019 to a total of six years of definite imprisonment on charges such as “assembly and conspiracy with intent to act against national security” and “propaganda activity against the system.”

The court of appeals also confirmed this sentence exactly. However, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, namely the most severe punishment, five years of it will be enforceable.

Since December of last year, reports have been published about this civil activist’s illness and pain in the kidney and prostate areas, and it was announced that he suffers from frequent urination and some nights goes to the bathroom “up to 13 times.”

Following the deterioration of Mr. Mousivand’s condition, more than 330 civil activists on April 28 signed a letter warning about his “critical” physical condition.

In this statement, referring to the deaths of a number of political prisoners due to “negligence and direct failure of prison officials,” including Behnam Mahjoubi and Baktash Abtin, expressed concern about the situation that has befallen Behnam Mousivand.

Source: Radio Farda