Clinic Closure to Prevent Abortions; A Doctor's Office in Tabriz Shut Down

The Fars news agency, affiliated with security institutions in Iran, reported the closure of a midwifery clinic in Tabriz due to its involvement in abortion activities and its referral to the judiciary. According to Fars, the closure was the result of an investigation by a joint oversight team from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, in collaboration with the prosecutor's office, the Medical Basij Organization, and the police. Following the tightening of restrictions related to the abortion ban in Iran and support for the 'childbearing' policy, the Rokna news agency also reported on January 18 that an indictment was issued for a specialist doctor in Yazd due to his 'preparedness' to facilitate 'illegal abortions.' Among the charges against this specialist doctor were 'providing abortion tools,' 'keeping abortion medication without legal permission,' and 'interfering in pharmaceutical matters to prescribe these pills without authorization.' Javad Ahmadian, the deputy for treatment at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, also reported on December 12 that this year, seven clinics involved in 'criminal abortions' were shut down by order of the prosecutor's office and referred to legal authorities with the cooperation of the police. The Ministry of Health announced in May of this year the establishment of an 'abortion patrol,' and one day after this announcement, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences stated on May 18 that following the identification of a midwifery clinic in Tabriz that was performing abortions, the clinic was closed. In Iran, with the approval of the law known as 'Support for Family and Youth Population,' many obstacles have been placed in the way of doctors and medical centers regarding abortions, and security and judicial actions, including the closure of clinics and the revocation of medical licenses in this area, have taken place. Article 56 of the 'Support for Family and Youth Population' law prohibits abortion and considers it a 'crime with public aspects' punishable by blood money, imprisonment, and revocation of medical licenses. The exact statistics on abortion in Iran are unclear, and many abortions are performed underground. Unofficial statistics suggest that between 450,000 to 600,000 abortions are performed annually in Iran. A member of parliament has gone further, stating that this number is '2,000 abortions daily.' Analysts attribute a significant portion of abortions in recent years to family economic problems and the inability to afford the costs of a new child. Inflation in Iran has been over 40% in recent years, and the price increases in housing and food items have tripled. An indictment was issued for a doctor in Yazd for providing 'tools' for abortion, the closure of 11 businesses in Isfahan for offering unconventional foreign clothing, the closure of 50 businesses and warnings to 65 others in Qom; the government's efforts to enforce mandatory hijab continue, the closure of 1,200 real estate consulting units in Mashhad to control housing prices, a doctor opposing mandatory hijab reported his 'definite expulsion' from Babol University of Medical Sciences, a media outlet in Iran reported that pregnancies resulting from 'incestuous rape' have become a problem, and 17% of maternal deaths in Iran are due to lack of access to gynecologists.