One of the Signatories of the Letter Demanding Khamenei’s Resignation Has Contracted Coronavirus in Prison
Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, one of the signatories of the letter demanding the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei who is serving his sentence in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, has contracted the coronavirus.
Asgar Sepehri, the brother of Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, announced on Sunday, April 17, by publishing several audio files of this political prisoner on his Twitter account that symptoms of coronavirus appeared in Mohammad Hossein Sepehri on Saturday, April 9, and he is currently being held in quarantine and is deprived of receiving medical and treatment services.
In the released audio file, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri stated that despite the symptoms of his coronavirus infection, including fever and chills, severe dry coughs, severe shortness of breath, and his transfer to the health clinic of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad on April 13, no medical examination regarding the condition of this political prisoner has been carried out to date.
Mr. Sepehri also stated that on Thursday, April 14, he, who had contracted the coronavirus, along with Kamal Jaafari Yazdi, Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Hashem Khavastar, Mohammad Nourizadeh, and Abbas Vahidian Shahrudi, other signatories of the letter demanding Khamenei’s resignation, were transferred to the detention facility of the Information Office in that district, and upon returning to prison, not only was he not provided with treatment, but he was transferred to one of the solitary cells as quarantine, a cell that had no medical equipment, and is currently serving his quarantine there.
The release of some prisoners began on Wednesday, February 25, with a new circular issued by Ebrahim Raisi, the head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic. According to this circular, limited leave orders were issued for a group of convicted prisoners subject to certain conditions; a circular in which it was stated that those political prisoners charged with “action against national security” and sentenced to more than 5 years in prison “are exempt from being sent on leave.” This is while most political prisoners with the mentioned charge have sentences exceeding 5 years.
This circular was issued by the judiciary while a large number of prisoners in various prisons in Iran, including political and ideological prisoners whose sentences exceed 5 years, continue to be detained in Iranian prisons, and despite the spread of the coronavirus in Iranian prisons and the infection of some prisoners with the coronavirus, they are not granted the right to short-term leave or conditional release.
Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, said on Wednesday, April 6, at a press conference: “Not only from Syria, but we have asked the Islamic Republic of Iran to release not only American citizens but all those who have been unjustly imprisoned in these circumstances. This is a humanitarian act, and apart from the fact that these individuals have been illegally imprisoned, in these circumstances, the principle of humanitarian action dictates that they should be released from prison.”
Source: Voice of America
