Political Prisoner Motaleb Ahmadian Denied Medical Care in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj

Political prisoner Motaleb Ahmadian, who is currently in his 11th year of imprisonment in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, has been denied medical care despite his serious physical and mental condition.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ahmadian has been suffering from orchitis during the past years and the infection has now been transmitted to his bladder.

According to a source close to the prisoner’s family, Ahmadian recently reported in a phone call that his physical and mental condition had deteriorated following a lack of medical attention. “Officials promised to take him to a hospital for treatment but as of yet they have not fulfilled their promise and the prisoner’s physical condition is getting worse by the day,” the source said.

Earlier, the infectious disease specialist and general practitioner doctor at Evin Prison Medical Center had repeatedly emphasized that Ahmadian must be visited by a surgeon and urologist and that chemotherapy, sonography, and related tests must be performed. The specialist further emphasized that Mr. Ahmadian needs an MRI every six months due to a spinal complication and should visit a neurologist to prevent the disease from progressing and treatment. This has not been achieved so far due to opposition from Amin Vaziri, the assistant prosecutor in charge of political prisoners.

37-year-old Motaleb Ahmadian was arrested in October 2010 and, after about 230 days in solitary confinement, he was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in Minab Prison, far from his hometown of Baneh City in Kurdistan Province.

At his first lawsuit, Ahmadian was arrested on a charge of Moharebeh, a pillar of Sharia Law that is typically applied to those connected to acts of armed rebellion against the state. The term, which can be loosely translated as “waging war against God”, has been used to incriminate members of opposition groups that may have used violence to rebel against the Islamic Regime, even if they themselves have not been involved.

Three more cases were later opened against Ahmadian and he received more sentences, including fines and imprisonment.