Human Rights Sources: Imprisoned Civil Activists Karim Ismailzadeh and Morteza Parvin Deprived of Adequate Medical Care

Human rights sources have reported that Karim Ismailzadeh and Morteza Parvin, imprisoned civil activists, are being denied access to adequate medical services. According to the Azerbaijan Political Prisoners Defense Association in Iran (ADAP), Karim Ismailzadeh, an environmental activist imprisoned in Tabriz, has suffered from stomach bleeding due to prison officials' refusal to provide his medications. The report states that the family of this environmental activist's request for his medical transfer outside the prison has also been unsuccessful so far. Karim Ismailzadeh has been sentenced to six months in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' through the dissemination of images and materials related to the drying of Lake Urmia and the pollution of the Aras River on social media. This civil activist has been transferred to Tabriz prison to serve his sentence since April 18 of this year. Herana, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, also reported on the lack of adequate medical services for Morteza Parvin, a civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, who suffers from a herniated disc. Morteza Parvin was arrested on February 6, 2023, in Ardabil and was tried in late May of this year on charges of 'conspiracy to disrupt national security,' 'insulting the leadership,' and 'espionage' in Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. During his detention, he went on a hunger strike due to the 'discrepancy of the serious charges against him' with his activities. According to the Hengaw Human Rights Organization, nine out of 32 prisoners who died in the Islamic Republic's prisons in 2023 lost their lives due to lack of medical care and delays in transferring to medical facilities. The Iran Human Rights Organization has reported many cases of political prisoners being deprived of adequate treatment, and it appears that security officials are using this method to break the resistance of political prisoners and force them into silence. Reports from human rights organizations indicate violations of 'Mandela Rules' in Iranian prisons; the conditions for prisoners are 'inhumane.' The deteriorating health of Reza Aghdasi, a jailed labor activist, has also been reported; according to the watchdog, his access to medical services is severely limited. The U.S. State Department report states that the human rights situation in Iran worsened in 2023.