Inmate Denied Medical Care, Died in Prison

An inmate died due to insufficient medical care in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on July 20, 2022, the lack of medical attention led to the death of an inmate in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

HRANA has identified the inmate as Saeed Kavoosi, age 46, who was imprisoned for charges related to financial crime.

An informed source told HRANA, “Last Wednesday, Kavoosi went to the prison infirmary but the prison’s physicians refused to receive him”.

“Kavoosi’s health condition was critical, other prisoners took him to the prison’s chapel where he died at 7:30 pm. Then prison officials took the body to the infirmary and declared cardiac arrest as the cause of death,” the source added.

According to this source, Kavoosi had just one kidney and suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure.

His death has not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far. 

Update on Prisoner Akbar Faraji in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Political prisoner Akbar Faraji (Farajim), age 41, is serving a five-year sentence in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

On October 8, 2021, Faraji and 13 other inmates were relocated to a locked-door ward. After being kept there for several months, the inmates in this ward are suffering from many issues such as frequent water cuts, overcrowding and the lack of a ventilation system.

On February 10, 2019, security forces arrested Akbar Faraji for his activities on social media. He was held at one IRGC detention facility in Tehran and after ten days of interrogation, transferred to Evin Prison. On February 24, 2019, Faraji was released on bail of 300 million Tomans.

On April 9, 2019, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Akbar Faraji to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was upheld on appeal. Based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the five years sentence for the first charge is enforceable. On September 6, 2020, Faraji was jailed in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary to serve his sentence.

Prisoners’ Living Conditions at Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Prisoners who are housed in Ward 1, Type 2 in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary are held in poor conditions, including frequent and prolonged water outages, poor sanitation, overcrowding and lack of proper air conditioning.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the inmates of the Closed Ward of the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary are held in poor living conditions.

An informed source told HRANA, “the inmates jailed in this ward face frequent and prolonged water outages. Sometimes, the water flow is completely cut off for a couple of days. Inmates are living in poor conditions and prison officials do nothing to resolve these issues.”

During the summer season, water flow for sanitation needs and cooling systems is critical.  

An informed source close to an inmate’s family told HRANA, “Ward 1, Type 2 of this prison is overcrowded. In this hot season, there is no air conditioning system.”

According to this source, the lack of air conditioning and healthy drinking water increases the risk of disease outbreaks.

Earlier, prison officials beat several political prisoners and relocated them to Ward 1. One day later, Mohammad Mehdi Haj Mohammadi, Iran’s head of Prisons Organization, confirmed this battery and the relocation on his social media page.

Inmate Majid Keshvari Committed Suicide for Lack of Medical Care in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, an inmate committed suicide after he was denied adequate medical treatment. Following the attempt, he was hospitalized in a hospital outside the prison. This inmate, who suffers from mental health problems, had attempted suicide several times before.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, feeling desperate for not receiving medical treatment, the inmate identified as Majid Keshvari committed failed suicide attempt in the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

An informed source told HRANA, “It has been a long time since Mr. Keshvari is in need of surgery and the prison health providers had recommended his dispatch urgently to a hospital outside the prison. Instead, the prison officials sent him to a psychiatric ward and then sent him back to prison, ignoring care for his health issues. 

Keshvari then attempted to hang himself in protest against this unfair treatment and was hospitalized. There is still no news about his latest condition.”

Reportedly, Keshvari had attempted to commit suicide on another occasion as well.

 

Mohammad Hossein Ahangari Released With Electronic Tag From Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary

Mohammad Hossein Ahangari, who was arrested during nationwide protests in November 2019, was released with an electronic tag and restricted movement from the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary. He will serve the rest of his three-year sentence outside the prison with restrictions on his movement.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ahangari was released on bail on November 26 2019, pending legal proceedings. In November 2020, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Eslamshahr on the charge of “an arson attack on Basij Base”. On December 8, 2020, he was jailed to serve his sentence.

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Khaled Pirzadeh Transferred from Greater Tehran Prison to an Unknown Location

Political prisoner Khaled Pirzadeh was transferred from the quarantine section of the Greater Tehran Prison to an unknown location on Wednesday, July 14th.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on June 14, Mr. Pirzadeh was sent on sick leave with a promise of connected parole. He was returned to Evin Prison on July 7.

Khaled Pirzadeh’s lawyer, Ali Sharifzadeh, made the announcement in a note on his social media and expressed his concern about Mr. Pirzadeh’s transfer due to his illness and said the prison’s organization is responsible for Mr. Pirzadeh’s health.

Pirzadeh had gone on a hunger strike for a 3rd time on June 10, protesting the lack of medical treatment, denial of his request for parole, and his 25-month imprisonment.