Exclusive | 'Secret' Surgery of a Political Prisoner in Ahvaz; Mousa Barzin: Against Fundamental Human Rights Principles

Following the 'secret surgery' of Ayoub Ghaibipour, a political prisoner in Ahvaz, a lawyer told Voice of America that the negligence of judicial authorities and the prevention of timely medical services leads to serious physical problems for most prisoners or, in some cases, loss of life. Mousa Barzin, a lawyer residing in Ankara, emphasized in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America on Thursday, January 28, that depriving prisoners of the right to medical treatment is a 'double suffering' for them, stating: 'The right to health is a right that cannot be taken away from anyone, even someone who has committed the most serious crimes and is in prison.' He noted that Ayoub Ghaibipour 'suffered from severe abdominal pain in prison,' which 'had existed for a while and he had informed prison officials several times,' adding that judicial authorities 'only provided him with painkillers without examination so that he would not feel the pain until his health condition became very serious,' and then he was taken under guard for a secret surgery. According to this lawyer, the responsible authorities operated on this political prisoner 'without informing the family,' and it is unclear 'exactly what procedure' was performed on him, and after the operation, 'he was returned to prison again while not in good condition.' This lawyer discussed the pressures from the Islamic Republic's judicial authorities on prisoners, especially political and civil prisoners, including Fatemeh Sepahri, stating that according to the laws, 'the purpose of punitive imprisonment is to ensure that the convict does not participate in society for a specific period,' but 'in addition to this, no additional suffering should be inflicted on the prisoner.' He explained that if a prisoner needs medical treatment, they should be treated in the prison infirmary, and if surgery or more facilities are needed, they should be transferred to medical centers, stating: 'The right to health cannot be taken away from anyone, even someone who has committed the most serious crimes and is in prison. The executive regulations of the prison organization also state that the treatment of prisoners is the responsibility of the prison organization.' Barzin also emphasized that if necessary, judicial authorities should grant sick prisoners 'medical leave' and added: 'Most prisoners who face serious physical issues in prison or die as a result of this are those whose authorities do not provide them with medical facilities in a timely manner.' According to this lawyer, 'this is contrary to the laws and regulations that exist within the country and against global standards and fundamental human rights principles.' Ayoub Ghaibipour, who was arrested on November 13, 2022, 'during a raid by agents on his home in Ahvaz, along with beatings in front of family members,' was sentenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Khuzestan Province to '35 years in prison'; however, this sentence was reduced to '15 years in prison' in the appeals court. The legal advisory group Dadban reported on Wednesday that the physical condition of Ayoub Ghaibipour, a political prisoner in Shayban prison in Ahvaz, has worsened after a 'delayed and secret surgery.' This 'secret surgery' was performed after 'long periods of pain and abdominal infection and the negligence of prison authorities' regarding Ayoub Ghaibipour's condition, which became so serious that on January 5, while 'unconscious from severe infection,' he was 'transferred to the hospital without informing the family and underwent surgery.' Neglect in treating prisoners and depriving them of their right to treatment has previously led to the deaths of some of them, including Behtash Abtin, a poet prisoner, and Faramarz Javidzadeh, a Jewish citizen in prison, and some of them, including Javad Rouhi, a protester whose death sentence was revoked, have also died suspiciously in prison. Some observers consider these cases as instances of 'systematic killing of political prisoners.'