Beating of Political Prisoner in Urmia; Shahram Kazemian Transferred to Psychiatric Hospital

Central prison officers in Urmia beat Shahram Kazemian, a political prisoner suffering from 'incurable diseases', and transferred him to Razi Psychiatric Hospital in the city. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, this Kurdish political prisoner recently attempted suicide in protest against the prison authorities' failure to provide him with his psychiatric medication, but was saved from death by his fellow inmates. The report states that after learning of this suicide attempt, prison officers stripped him naked and severely beat him with batons. It is reported that Shahram Kazemian was transferred to the psychiatric hospital on the evening of Sunday, June 6, and his family has not yet been able to visit him at Razi Hospital in Urmia. Shahram Kazemian, a resident of Urmia, was arrested in December 2019 and initially sentenced to six years in prison on charges of 'membership in opposing and hostile groups' and 'propaganda against the regime'. This sentence was later reduced to three years by the Supreme Court. Kazemian was sent to Urmia prison in December 2020 to serve his sentence but was temporarily released after contracting COVID-19 in September 2021. He was recently arrested again to serve the remainder of his sentence. Voice of America, in an exclusive report, discussed with several former political prisoners who had been transferred to psychiatric hospitals during their sentences, revealing a project of 'madness-making' opponents by the Islamic Republic. These political activists believe the government's aim with this action is to 'discredit opponents'.