Death of a Political Prisoner with Cancer in Iran After Release from Prison

News sources reported that a political prisoner from Urmia, who had long been deprived of medical treatment in prison despite suffering from advanced cancer, lost his life after being released due to his inability to endure punishment. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Anwar Chalashi "died on Wednesday, February 19, in the hospital due to lack of access to medical services" despite the "progression of cancer" during his imprisonment. A former cellmate of Mr. Chalashi told this human rights organization that this political prisoner "was in a critical condition due to the progression of the disease, and political prisoners had repeatedly protested regarding his health condition." According to this eyewitness, Anwar Chalashi "had suffered severe weight loss and frequent fainting spells over the past two years due to the progression of the disease," and "each time he was transferred to the hospital under pressure from prisoners, no action was taken for his treatment due to the opposition of the IRGC Intelligence Organization and under the pretext of non-payment of medical expenses, and he was returned to prison without completing his treatment." The report states that although "the forensic medicine last year" announced that Mr. Chalashi was unable to continue serving his sentence due to "the severity of his physical condition," he was still kept in prison due to the opposition of the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and it was only when "his request for pardon" was approved that he was released, at which point "there was no opportunity for effective treatment left." The deprivation of this prisoner from the right to medical treatment occurs while the responsibility for the safety of prisoners lies with the prison organization under the judiciary. Anwar Chalashi, a 50-year-old political prisoner from Urmia, was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents on December 3, 2020, and later transferred to Urmia Central Prison. This political prisoner was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Urmia Revolutionary Court in October 2021 on charges of "acting against national security through membership in the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan." Violations of prisoners' rights and their deprivation of the right to medical treatment have been reported multiple times from various prisons of the Islamic Republic and have, in some cases, led to the deaths of incarcerated individuals. Additionally, see: Death of a prisoner in Qarchak; "The prison doctor said he is feigning illness." According to an exclusive report from Qezel Hesar prison previously provided to VOA, judicial officials in this prison, in addition to widespread violations of prisoners' right to medical treatment under the pretext of "lack of budget," sometimes obtain written consent from them to "waive treatment." Also, see: Exclusive; Forced acquisition of "waiver of treatment consent" from Qezel Hesar prisoners.