Khalid Pirzadeh Attempts Suicide in Evin Prison in Protest Against Denial of Medical Rights

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are thinking about suicide, please contact these special numbers for help: In Iran: Social Emergency 123, Consultant Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200. In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988. In Canada: 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 116123. Khalid (Koushan) Pirzadeh's Instagram account reported that this political prisoner attempted suicide by 'cutting his neck' due to 'pressures exerted' in prison, including 'denial of essential medications for treatment.' Two days ago, Khalid warned in an audio file about the worsening of his illnesses while prison officials have refused to provide him with necessary medications, stating that the responsibility for 'any incident' that befalls him lies with the head of the prison organization. In an Instagram post published on Monday, January 24, he wrote that 'unfortunately, the pressures exerted' on this political prisoner 'such as the denial of essential medications for treatment,' which he had previously detailed in an audio file from inside Evin prison, 'led to him cutting his neck in prison.' According to this report, after this act, officials transferred Mr. Pirzadeh to the hospital and returned him to prison after stitching. Due to restrictions on free media access to prisons by the Islamic Republic in Iran, VOA cannot independently verify this news. Mr. Pirzadeh's suicide attempt comes amid reports of a Swiss citizen imprisoned in Semnan prison who died following what judicial officials termed a 'suicide.' Khalid Pirzadeh, a political prisoner suffering from multiple illnesses and physical problems in Evin prison in Tehran, warned in a message about his lack of access to medications and the recurrence of his illnesses, stating that if 'anything happens' to him, the head of the prison organization is responsible. In the message from Khalid (Koushan) Pirzadeh, published on his Instagram account naming 'Heshmatollah Hayat al-Ghaib, the director of the prison organization,' he stated: 'For several weeks, my back pain and sciatica have incapacitated me, and I can hardly walk. The seizure medication called Depakine 500 has run out; I have received no results despite several visits. The asthma spray has also run out. They have not given that to me either.' While the responsibility for the lives of prisoners in Iran lies with the prison organization, a branch of the judiciary, and prisoners are supposed to have the right to free medical treatment, Mr. Pirzadeh stated that prison officials told him 'the cost of treatment for physiotherapy outside the prison is on the prisoner.' This monarchist political prisoner, stating that 'it seems I am a golden signature offspring or among the white-collar workers,' addressed the head of the prison organization: 'Mr. Hayat al-Ghaib, where exactly are you? In which directive of the prison organization does it state that the cost of treatment is on the prisoner? Don't you receive an annual budget? What is the budget spent on that such a large organization is unable to provide Depakine pills and asthma sprays?' In Mr. Pirzadeh's audio file recorded and published during a call from Evin prison, he also announced that due to 'the negligence of some individuals' and the failure to provide his necessary medications, 'a few days ago I had a seizure in my sleep and bit my tongue.' He deemed Hayat al-Ghaib's visits to prisons ineffective and added to this judicial official: 'Your behavior and performance contradict what you show, and from this moment, I hold you personally responsible for anything that happens to me.' Reports of the violation of prisoners' medical rights in Iranian prisons have previously been documented, leading to the death of a prisoner in Qarchak women's prison last Sunday. Additionally, according to an exclusive report from Ghezal Hesar prison that was recently provided to VOA, judicial officials in this prison, besides widespread violations of prisoners' medical rights under the pretext of 'lack of budget,' in some cases, obtain written consent from them to 'waive treatment.' Khalid (Koushan) Pirzadeh was last arrested in Shahrivar 1402 by agents of the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence in Ahvaz. He was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin prison in Tehran, which is a detention center belonging to the Ministry of Intelligence, on October 15 of last year, and in January, the 26th branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by 'Iman Afshari,' sentenced Khalid Pirzadeh to five years and eight months in prison. Khalid (Koushan) Pirzadeh, a former bodybuilding champion of Iran, was first arrested by government forces in Khordad 1398. In Bahman of the same year, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for 'collusion and conspiracy' and 'insulting the leadership,' during which he developed multiple illnesses, losing his mobility and even control over his bodily functions. While this political prisoner was released in Bahman 1401, he was arrested again in Shahrivar of this year while traveling to Turkey and has been in prison since then. Along with several political activists in Iran, he stated in a message before Nowruz 1402 that the 'current dire situation' of Iranians is the 'result of thoughts, methods, and goals' that emerged 'with the 57 revolution and the deviation of constitutionalism,' 'in the battle between constitutionalists and project supporters.'