Exclusive; Doctors Consider Continued Imprisonment of Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani and Her 7-Month-Old Fetus 'Very Dangerous'

While Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani, a political prisoner in Evin, is in her twenty-seventh week of pregnancy and suffering from multiple illnesses, a source close to her told Voice of America that specialist doctors have determined that continued imprisonment for Ms. Ahmadkhani and her fetus is 'very dangerous.' The informed source stated that contrary to previous reports, Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani was not pregnant at the time of her arrest on September 18, 2023, and is currently in the twenty-seventh week of her pregnancy, with her due date likely in the last week of September or the first week of October this year. According to this source, the 'heart rate and pulse' of Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani during the day is 'unbalanced,' being 'either very low or very high.' This political prisoner suffers from 'lumbar disc disease, heart disease, epilepsy, and seizures,' and according to gynecologists, internists, and neurologists, her continued stay in prison is very dangerous, posing 'high physical and life-threatening risks for both the fetus and herself.' The source close to Ms. Ahmadkhani also told Voice of America that prison doctors have 'expressed their concerns in writing' and that 'the fetus and mother must be under regular supervision by a gynecologist and neurologist,' yet this political prisoner has 'only been sent to the hospital for an ultrasound once and regular check-ups are not being conducted.' According to this report and based on the diagnosis of the medical staff at Evin, 'her continued imprisonment is very dangerous and there is a risk to her life and that of her seven-month-old fetus'; however, according to the source close to Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani, 'with the continuation of imprisonment and the presence of psychological pressure and negative prison conditions and stress,' the lives of the mother and fetus are in danger. This informed source emphasized the severe concerns of Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani and her husband Behfar Lalehzari, who is also imprisoned in Evin, stating that 'the supervising prosecutor intends to somehow' send this pregnant political prisoner 'on short-term leave and after her delivery, return her to prison to continue her imprisonment while the newborn remains outside.' However, Ms. Ahmadkhani 'is very terrified about this and is under severe stress and has not requested bail from anyone until the conditions of the case are clarified, including a reduction in imprisonment or conditional release due to pregnancy and breastfeeding.' According to this exclusive report, 'the prison does not provide any medication' for prisoners, including Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani, and medications such as vitamins and iron pills 'are all provided at personal expense through acquaintances and the families of prisoners.' The source close to these two political prisoners stated that Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani and her husband Behfar Lalehzari were last arrested on September 18, 2023, by the 'Anti-Security Police' in Tehran. Ms. Ahmadkhani was taken to Qarchak Prison after '49 hours of interrogation at the police station and three days of interrogation at the Vezarat detention center and was transferred to Evin Prison on October 24 of the same year.' Her husband, Behfar Lalehzari, was taken to Evin Prison on October 25 of the previous year and has been in that prison since then. Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani, without the benefit of having a lawyer, was sentenced to 'five years of prison' for 'gathering and colluding to disrupt internal and external security' by 'Iman Afshari, the head of Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran,' and is currently serving this sentence in prison. This is the third case for this political prisoner, who was first arrested on January 15, 2019, and again on November 16, 2019. Behfar Lalehzari was also first arrested 25 years ago during the protests in July 1999 at the University Campus. He was then arrested again in 2008 for three years. His third arrest was in May 2013, leading to two years and six months of imprisonment. Previously, five political prisoners imprisoned in Qezel Hesar expressed concern about the situation of Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani in detention and called for her unconditional release.