Assault, Medical Deprivation, and Uncertainty for Political Prisoners in Iran's Prisons

Human rights media have reported the assault of Azad Abbasi, a political prisoner, in Qorveh prison in Kurdistan province, by several common criminals and his deprivation of access to medical services following this incident. According to the human rights organization "Hengaw", Azad Abbasi, the chairman of the cultural association "Nozhin" and a Kurdish language teacher, who is being held alongside common criminals without regard for the separation of crimes, has been attacked at least twice in recent days, including on November 20. The appeals court has sentenced this political and civil activist from Dehgolan to one year in prison on charges of "propaganda against the regime" and "insulting the leadership", and he was transferred to Qorveh prison on November 1 to serve his sentence. Previously, several activists in the Kurdish language field and members of the board of the "Nozhin" cultural association, including Souma Pourmohammadi and Mohammad Moradi Nasari, faced judicial actions and dismissal orders from their workplaces. Javid Rahman, the former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, emphasized in a meeting hosted by the Atlantic Council that "ethnic and religious minorities" in Iran face "organized persecution and harassment". Continuing medical deprivation of Taher Naqvi in Evin prison: HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, reported on the medical deprivation of Taher Naqvi, a lawyer imprisoned in Evin prison, despite his "prostate disease" and "spinal problems". This imprisoned lawyer has been denied hospital transfer and medical examinations several times due to his refusal to wear prison clothes and use handcuffs and leg irons. Taher Naqvi, who has been sentenced to six years in prison and additional penalties on charges of "propaganda against the regime" and "collusion and conspiracy", has recently faced new charges of "disturbing public order" and "insulting prison officials" due to complaints from Evin prison authorities. Continuing uncertainty for Aman Jalalinezad and Mahdi Mimar in Ahvaz prison: HRANA also reported on the ongoing uncertainty of Aman Jalalinezad and Mahdi Mimar in Shiban prison in Ahvaz, noting that more than seven months after the arrest of these two political prisoners, no court has been established to address their charges. According to this report, judicial authorities have so far opposed the release of these two political prisoners on bail and have attributed decision-making regarding their case to the Ahvaz Intelligence Department. They, along with four others, were charged in a joint case in June of this year with accusations such as "collusion and conspiracy against national security", "propaganda against the regime", "moharebeh" (waging war against God), and "corruption on earth". Concerns about the health status of Ebrahim Madadi: The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions expressed concern about the health status of Ebrahim Madadi, a imprisoned worker and founding member of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company, holding the judiciary and prison authorities responsible for his health. According to this council's statement, Ebrahim Madadi, who struggles with multiple serious health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, and hearing loss, was arrested again on August 12 and transferred to Evin prison. Human rights organizations and activists have consistently criticized the human rights situation in Iran. The European Union on Wednesday, November 30, after the adoption of a resolution by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly against the Islamic Republic, expressed concern over the human rights situation in Iran by presenting a report. This report, which was prepared regarding the human rights situation in Iran over the past year, described the situation of women's rights, freedom of expression and journalist security, the conditions of human rights defenders and their families as "dire" and strongly condemned the widespread use of the death penalty in Iran. Leila Hosseinzadeh, a student activist, was sentenced to prison in absentia. A French citizen imprisoned is being tried in the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Hundreds of cases of human rights violations by the Islamic Republic were recorded in November. The "Freedom of Expression" award from the "Index on Censorship" was awarded to Nasim Soltanbeigi.