Judiciary Claims: Bruises on 'Payman Golvani's' Body Resulted from Severe Psychological and Physical Distress

While the family of Payman Golvani, a young man from Mahabad who was killed, reported on July 20 the presence of torture marks on their son's body and shared photos on social media, the Mizan news agency affiliated with the judiciary claimed that these marks and bruises were due to him being restrained to a bed in the hospital. According to Mizan's claims citing forensic medicine, Payman Golvani exhibited 'severe psychological and physical distress' in the hospital, preventing any tests or CT scans from being conducted even after sedation, leading the medical staff to restrain him to the hospital bed for control. Mehrab Pourakbar, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Mahabad, also claimed that 'Payman Mam Ahmad Golvani' was arrested on charges of 'fraud' and that the cause of his death was 'a disease related to blood plasma.' Pourakbar further stated that Mr. Golvani was in Urmia prison until July 14 and was hospitalized on that day due to illness but died on July 18 due to the worsening of his condition. However, Dr. Mohsen Sohrabi, a member of the Kurdistan Volunteer Physicians Organization and the Aifa Association, told the Persian section of Voice of America on July 20: 'What we see in the photos is that Payman Golvani was tortured,' suggesting he may have been restrained with something as 'bruising is evident on his ankle.' He emphasized 'skull fractures' based on accounts from his relatives, adding: 'Payman lost consciousness under torture and was transferred to the hospital, where he died after a few days.' The Hengaw website reported that 'security agents attributed the cause of his coma to a fall from height.' In previous reports, Payman Golvani was introduced as a 'Kurdish political activist' who died in the 'Intelligence Department' detention center in Urmia on charges of 'membership in one of the Kurdish parties.' Concurrently with Payman Golvani's burial, a security atmosphere prevailed in Mahabad, with protesters chanting slogans such as 'Women, Life, Freedom' and 'Martyrs Never Die.' The prosecutor's office claims the young prisoner was ill; the publication of torture photos on Payman Golvani's body; the slogan 'Martyrs Never Die' coinciding with Payman Golvani's burial; Mahabad; the slogan 'Gen, Jiyan, Azadi' coinciding with Payman Golvani's burial; Mahabad; a severe security atmosphere in the Mahabad cemetery; a group of Mahabad residents ready to welcome Payman Golvani's body; torture marks on Payman Golvani's body; the prosecutor's claim: 'He died due to illness'; Hengaw reported on 'death under torture' of another Kurdish political prisoner.