Judiciary Spokesperson: Alireza Raji Developed Cancer After Release

While Alireza Raji's family, a journalist and political activist, reported a lack of medical care during his imprisonment, the Judiciary spokesperson stated that Mr. Raji received medical services while incarcerated and developed cancer after his release. According to the state news agency IRNA, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Sunday, September 3, in a press conference that reports from foreign media about Raji's cancer in prison were 'natural' and added, 'No one should expect anything different from those who have no relation to Iran and have gone abroad to collaborate with Israel and the U.S.' Alireza Raji, a journalist and member of the National-Religious Coalition, lost his right eye and part of the muscle and bones on the right side of his face after surgery. His family and close ones believe that the 'denial of treatment' in prison was a factor in the progression of his illness and his current condition. However, the Judiciary spokesperson claimed that he developed cancer two years ago after his release from prison and stated, 'Many people get cancer and die within two months, and sometimes cancer is diagnosed late; he also contracted this disease.' Ejei also mentioned that Raji had visited an outside specialist during his detention due to a dental issue. These statements came in the wake of Gholamreza Raji, Alireza Raji's brother, stating on Saturday, September 2, to the Etemad newspaper that 'five times the prison medical staff recommended sending him outside for scans and imaging, but unfortunately, this permission was not granted.' He emphasized that until Alireza Raji's release from prison in 2015, 'no specific medical action had been taken for him,' and after his release and scans, doctors discovered that 'the tumor was malignant and very extensive.' Alireza Raji spent four years in prison from 2011 on charges of membership in the National-Religious Coalition and actions against national security, and according to his acquaintances, he developed sinus cancer while in prison. He was the political editor of prominent newspapers such as 'Jameh,' 'Toseh,' 'Khordad,' 'Asr Azadegan,' and 'Neshat,' all of which have been banned. This journalist was a candidate in the sixth parliamentary elections for Tehran and was among the 30 elected representatives, but the Guardian Council annulled over 700,000 votes, ultimately ruling that Gholamali Haddad Adel, a principlist figure close to the Supreme Leader of Iran, should take his place in parliament. Alireza Raji was also arrested in 2000 along with several members of the National-Religious movement and was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to three years in prison and five years of deprivation of social rights. In recent years, numerous reports have been published regarding the lack of medical care for political prisoners. Several prisoners, including Hadi Saber and Akbar Mohammadi, died due to lack of medical care during hunger strikes. Mohsen Daghighi and Hassan Nahid, two prisoners in Ward 350 of Evin Prison, also died despite severe illness without being granted medical leave and treatment outside of prison.