Lives of Political Prisoners at Risk Due to Deprivation of Medical Services and Treatment

If urgent measures are not taken to treat prisoners deprived of medical facilities, the bitter story of Behnam Mahjoubi will repeat itself again

The death of Behnam Mahjoubi, an ideological prisoner, which occurred as a result of numerous neurological problems in prison and lack of proper treatment, is evidence of the continuation of a serious crisis in Iranian prisons: the deprivation of detainees, especially ideological and political prisoners, from medical treatment and healthcare services.

Hadi Ghahemi, director of the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, said: “There are many prisoners in Iran who have urgent and pressing medical needs, and there is concern about their death in the absence of necessary medical treatment and care.”

According to Hadi Ghahemi, “Governments around the world should strongly condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran’s actions in depriving prisoners of medical care and using this tactic as a tool of torture and extrajudicial killing against detainees.”

The Human Rights Campaign in Iran calls on the government of Hassan Rouhani and lawmakers in Iran to hold judicial authorities and prison officials accountable for depriving prisoners of medical care.

The Human Rights Campaign in Iran also calls on the international community to take a unified and unanimous stand in response to “systematic deprivation by Iranian authorities of prisoners’ access to medical services, treatment and care.”

Behnam Mahjoubi, a Dervish of Gonabad, was arrested along with a large group of his co-religionists during a street protest in Tehran in 2017. In August of this year, he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment and two years of prohibition from membership in political or social parties, groups and associations for what was described as “conspiracy against national security through contact with others and organizing illegal gatherings,” and was transferred to Evin Prison. His detention continued despite forensic medicine confirming that he could not tolerate prison conditions. Behnam Mahjoubi died on Saturday, the 25th of Bahman, after being transferred to Laqman Hospital in Tehran due to deteriorating physical health in prison, and eight days later, on the 3rd of Esfand, after enduring a severe situation. He passed away.

One day later, Mahdi Forouzesh, director general of forensic medicine in Tehran Province, said: “The body of the deceased Behnam Mahjoubi underwent autopsy and necessary samples were taken for specialized tests, and the results of the tests will be reported to the judicial authority.”

The United Nations also called for “a complete and transparent investigation” into Behnam Mahjoubi’s death. The United Nations emphasized that Behnam’s death is another sign of deprivation of medical treatment for prisoners in Iran.

Many other citizens are imprisoned in Iranian prisons who have either become seriously ill in prison or suffer from chronic diseases, none of whom have undergone medical treatment.

On the 18th of Bahman this year, Arash Sadeghi, a political prisoner imprisoned in Rajaei Shahr, Karaj, wrote an open letter to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and in part of this letter listed the names of a number of political prisoners who have been deprived of medical treatment during their imprisonment. Among the prisoners who urgently need medical treatment and attention are:

Nasrin Sotoudeh; a human rights lawyer who has been in prison since 2018, despite serious heart and lung problems, has been deprived of continuous treatment and necessary medical care.

Rahele Ahmadi; she is one of Iran’s opponents of mandatory hijab who is serving her 31-month prison sentence in Evin Prison. Rahele Ahmadi suffers from mobility problems and according to her lawyer and doctors, there is a possibility of her becoming paralyzed.

Matlab Ahmadian; he has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for what has been described as membership in anti-regime groups. Mr. Ahmadian, who is held in Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj, suffers from orchitis (testicular infection) and the transmission of infection to the bladder, and no medical treatment has been provided for his illness so far.

Soheil Arabi; he has been imprisoned for nearly eight years due to his activities on social networks and is currently held in Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj. Mr. Arabi suffered a bone fracture from beating and also suffers from blood clotting problems in his testicles.

Manirah Arabshahi; she was arrested for participating in peaceful protests against mandatory hijab and is serving a 5.5-year prison sentence in Koocheh Prison in Karaj. She suffers from thyroid disorder which has resulted in her speech impairment.

Afshin Baymani; he is imprisoned in Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj for membership in the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization and suffered a heart attack in June 2017. Following examinations, the prison physician issued an order to transfer him to the hospital, but he was prevented from being sent to the hospital.

Atena Daemi; she was sentenced to an additional 2 years in prison when she was close to her release date. She has suffered from multiple diseases since her arrest and has been deprived of treatment. She currently suffers from a mass in the chest area.

Abolghasem Foladwand; this prisoner has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for what was described as support for the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization and is held in Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj and suffered a heart attack at the time of his arrest.

Zeinab Jalalian; this ideological prisoner has been sentenced to life imprisonment for what was described as membership in anti-regime groups and is held in Yazd Prison and suffers from eye problems.

Hashem Khavastegar; this teacher and civil rights activist was sentenced to 16 years in prison after signing a letter calling for Ali Khamenei’s resignation. He suffers from heart disease.

Saeed Masouri; this doctor has been sentenced to life imprisonment for membership in the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. He suffers from stomach bleeding and urinary tract problems.

Mahdi Maskinnavaaz; this journalist was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for managing a news channel on Telegram and is imprisoned in Rajaei Shahr Prison. He suffers from bone problems in his spine and legs.

Samane Norouzi Moradi; she has been in Lakan Prison in Rasht since late October this year and suffers from joint lupus and breast cancer.

Fatimeh Mosna; this prisoner has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for holding a ceremony for her father-in-law who was a member of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. This prisoner suffers from severe bleeding in the intestinal area, and both the prison physician and specialists have confirmed that she cannot tolerate imprisonment.

Hamzah Savari; he was arrested at the age of sixteen in 2015 and was sentenced to life imprisonment for what was described as “conspiracy and action against national security.” He is held in Rajaei Shahr Prison and suffers from a cancerous tumor in his right knee.

Mohammad Nourizad; this opposition filmmaker and writer was arrested after signing a letter requesting Ali Khamenei’s resignation and underwent surgery for gallbladder problems in the winter of last year. He also suffers from heart disease.

Arash Sadeghi; this ideological prisoner was arrested in 2016 and is serving his 15-year prison sentence. Arash Sadeghi has suffered from a type of bone cancer for about two years and has been deprived of medical treatment.

Beyond the names mentioned in Arash Sadeghi’s letter, many other names of prisoners have been released who are also deprived of medical treatment and care;

Nahid Taghavi, an Iranian-German dual national prisoner who, despite more than 130 days since her arrest, has no details of her case. Previously, her daughter said she was concerned about her mother’s health condition as Ms. Taghavi suffers from blood pressure problems.

Ghasem Absateh, a prisoner sentenced to death in Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj, despite his deteriorating condition, is living in prison without proper medical attention and medication. It is said that recently a lump has formed in Mr. Absateh’s stomach and he suffers from intestinal and stomach problems. On the other hand, one of the prison physicians has raised the possibility of him contracting cancer.

Reza Taleshian Jolodarzehdeh, a journalist sentenced to three years in prison and imprisoned in Fashafuyeh Prison, went on a hunger strike from Sunday, the 3rd of Esfand, in protest of “lack of medical attention” and “not receiving medication.” Doctors have diagnosed Mr. Jolodarzehdeh’s illness, the editor-in-chief of the seized weekly Sobh-e Azadi and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, as “intractable.”

Khaled Pirzadeh, a political prisoner imprisoned in Greater Tehran Prison, also went on a hunger strike on Monday, the 5th of Esfand this year, in protest of lack of medical attention and officials’ refusal to grant him conditional release. Mr. Pirzadeh, in addition to heart problems, also faces problems in the lower back and knee areas and needs proper treatment and multiple physiotherapy sessions.

Many more names can be added to this list.

Political prisoners in Iran generally face many pressures and threats; the isolation of prisoners from others and deprivation of treatment and access to medical facilities are among the most important tactics of harassment and torture of political prisoners in Iran.

The United Nations has expressed serious concern about the continued restrictions on political prisoners in Iran to access appropriate healthcare. The United Nations says that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s conduct violates UN standard rules on the treatment of prisoners.

In the regulations and procedures of Iran’s prison organization, a prisoner’s right to treatment is mentioned. Article 118 of the Regulations of Iran’s Prison Organization and Preventive and Educational Measures states: “Examination and, if necessary, treatment of sick prisoners is the responsibility of the prison administration or vocational training and employment centers.”

Deprivation of access to adequate medical facilities and treatment is not the only issue related to the health of prisoners in Iran; the health of most detainees in the country, especially prisoners in remote areas of Iran, is seriously at risk due to “physical and psychological torture,” “failure to separate political prisoners and holding them alongside dangerous criminals,” and “detention in crowded and unhygienic prisons.” These health crises during the coronavirus pandemic and the ineffective management of prison authorities in controlling the disease in prisons due to insufficient testing and failure to quarantine prisoners infected with COVID-19 are extremely concerning.

Source: Iran Human Rights Campaign