Increase in Cases of 'Illness Induction' of Political Prisoners; Bahar Khaniabpour: I Have Also Developed an Autoimmune Disease

As reports continue to emerge regarding the illness of political prisoners in the prisons of the Islamic Republic, Bahar Khaniabpour, a former political prisoner, announced that she has also developed the autoimmune disease 'psoriasis' after her release. The revelation of this political prisoner's skin condition due to an autoimmune disease comes after Voice of America published a research report in recent days about the systematic illness induction of political prisoners by the Islamic Republic, sharing personal accounts from various years. Following the reports and narratives published about political prisoners developing unexpected or unknown illnesses in prison or shortly after their release, this time Bahar (Zeynab) Khaniabpour, a former political prisoner, shared a photo of the skin condition on her right elbow, writing in an Instagram narrative: 'A few months after my release, I also developed psoriasis or autoimmune disease. I wanted to talk about it, but well...' According to a report from the Legal Advisors Group of Dadban, citing an informed source, Ms. Khaniabpour noticed the appearance of small spots on her skin after her release and, after a few months of the spots increasing, visited a doctor and was diagnosed with 'autoimmune disease (psoriasis)'. The report states that while Bahar Khaniabpour was in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, she was given pills in the prison clinic without reason under the pretext of preventing allergies. Bahar Khaniabpour, a resident of Behbahan and one of those arrested during the crackdown on the nationwide protests of 2022, was imprisoned for a time in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz. Her clothing store was shut down in Azar 1401 after she joined the nationwide strikes, and during the administrative process for its reopening, she was arrested while visiting the prosecutor's office and spent a week in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz. Bahar Khaniabpour was also sentenced to three months and one day in prison in Aban 1402 on charges of 'propaganda against the regime'. The development of this former political prisoner’s autoimmune disease comes at a time when, according to a previous report by Voice of America, Majid Khadami, a political prisoner currently in Behbahan Prison, has been suffering from an unknown skin condition for months and is facing restrictions on medical services. Political prisoners in Iran have a history of becoming ill over the years. The development of a mysterious illness in Taraneh Alidoosti, an actress supporting the protesters, after her release from prison has once again raised the possibility of illness induction of political prisoners by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic, with some former political prisoners recounting similar personal stories. Bahareh Hedayat is another political prisoner who developed an illness during her imprisonment. Journalist Mohammad Javad Akbarin has previously emphasized the necessity of 'exposing the project of illness induction and the gradual killing of prisoners' in the prisons of the Islamic Republic by republishing a report on this political prisoner’s case. In recent days, Voice of America published a detailed report including accounts from several eyewitnesses and survivors about their experiences regarding the 'deliberate and systematic' illness induction of political prisoners. Also see: Exclusive; Personal accounts of illness induction of political prisoners, 'deliberate systematic process' in the Islamic Republic. Arash Sigarachi: Systematic induction of cancer in political dissidents in the prisons of the Islamic Republic is strange. Najat Bahrami: Illness induction of political prisoners in Iran is 'systematic and deliberate'. Illness induction of political prisoners in the Islamic Republic; Saqi Laghai says it is systematic and organized. Systematic illness induction of political prisoners in the Islamic Republic; Arash Sigarachi speaks of developing cancer in prison.