An informed source from Ghezal Hesar prison told Voice of America that a number of inmates in this prison are infected with the HIV virus, but officials keep this matter confidential and do not provide special care for these individuals, keeping them among other prisoners. The Persian section of Voice of America has a sample of a test taken from one inmate that shows his HIV test result is positive. According to this informed source, Ghezal Hesar prison officials conduct 'secret tests' on these patients, and these inmates are 'kept among ordinary and general prisoners in various halls without special care and facilities.' This eyewitness also told Voice of America that prison officials do not separate 'sick prisoners from others,' and the utmost care they receive is that 'the health house gives them a pill every ten days.' According to available information, 'only in unit four' of Ghezal Hesar prison, '12 HIV positive prisoners are present in various halls,' and prison officials 'instead of separating their holding area from other prisoners and providing them with more care, conduct secret tests.' This source also emphasized that in other units of Ghezal Hesar prison, there are individuals infected with the HIV virus, and 'their number is very high,' but there are no exact statistics available. HIV remains a significant global public health issue and has claimed the lives of over 40 million people worldwide. Arash Alaei, who has conducted extensive research on AIDS and has been active in this field for many years, previously explained in an interview with Voice of America that multiple studies indicate the number of people infected with HIV in Iran is between 95,000 to 120,000, but official statistics reflect only half of these figures. Ladan Abasian, head of the Iranian AIDS Research Center, recently claimed that in Iran '24,760 HIV tests have come back positive,' but estimated that 44,000 people may be HIV positive. Reports of the violation of prisoners' right to treatment by the Islamic Republic officials in Iran have been made multiple times, and some have lost their lives due to negligence in medical care. Moein Khazaeli, a lawyer, previously told Voice of America that the Islamic Republic uses the violation of the right to treatment as a tool of torture against prisoners.
Exclusive; HIV Positive Prisoners Held in General Sections of Ghezal Hesar Prison
An informed source revealed that HIV positive inmates at Ghezal Hesar prison are kept among the general population without proper medical care. This situation highlights ongoing human rights violations in Iran's prison system, particularly regarding the treatment of vulnerable populations. The lack of transparency and adequate healthcare for these prisoners raises significant public health concerns.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
HIV positive inmates at Ghezal Hesar prison are reportedly being held among the general population without adequate medical care or separation from other prisoners. This raises serious concerns about human rights and public health in Iran.
- At least 12 HIV positive prisoners are confirmed to be in unit four of Ghezal Hesar prison.
- Prison officials conduct secret tests and provide minimal medical care, which is insufficient for managing HIV.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
HIV/AIDS remains a critical public health issue globally, and in Iran, the actual number of HIV cases is believed to be much higher than reported. The treatment of prisoners, especially those with health issues, is often criticized as inadequate.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%