Khalid Pirzadeh Transferred from Evin Prison to Hospital Due to 'Seizures and Heart Tightness'

A human rights organization reported that Khalid Pirzadeh, a political prisoner advocating for constitutional monarchy, was transferred from Evin Prison to Laghman Hospital in Tehran due to a 'deterioration of health.' An informed source told the Human Rights Activists in Iran that on 'Tuesday, November 14,' Khalid Pirzadeh 'suffered seizures and heart tightness in Evin Prison and was taken to the prison clinic.' According to this source, this political prisoner was hospitalized in the 'neurology department' at Laghman Hospital and is still being held there. Khalid Pirzadeh, a political activist advocating for constitutional monarchy, was arrested again on September 19, coinciding with the anniversary of the nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Ahvaz while he intended to travel to Turkey for medical treatment. He was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, known as the Ministry of Intelligence's detention center, and later moved to Ward 6 of the same prison. Previously, an informed source told Voice of America that Khalid Pirzadeh faced restrictions on contacting his family. There is still no information regarding the 'reasons for his arrest and the charges' attributed to Khalid Pirzadeh in this round of detention. A source close to Khalid Pirzadeh told Voice of America that his condition during detention was 'relatively good' except for pain in his left knee and weakness in walking, and he was 'under treatment.' According to him, one of the main reasons for Khalid's trip to Turkey was this, and in addition, he 'intended to participate in bodybuilding competitions after recovery.' Khalid (Koushan) Pirzadeh, a former bodybuilding champion of Iran, was arrested by government forces in June 2019. In February of that year, he was sentenced to seven years in prison by Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by 'Mohammad Mogheiseh,' on charges of 'collusion and conspiracy' and 'insulting the leadership.' This athlete, who won third place in the 2018 (1399) 'World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation' competition in Singapore, went on hunger strikes multiple times during his imprisonment and sewed his eyelid shut in January 2022 in protest of his situation. This political prisoner was released in February 2023 while he was unable to walk, and his health condition was reported to be severe due to spinal cord injury from broken vertebrae and anxiety disorder. After that, he regained a significant part of his health with continuous medical services. Additionally, see: Exclusive | No news from Khalid Pirzadeh; informed source: He has not contacted his family yet. Besides the general violation of prisoners' right to medical treatment in Iranian prisons, human rights organizations have repeatedly reported that the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic harass some prisoners, especially political and ideological prisoners, by depriving them of rights. Khalid Pirzadeh's deteriorating health in prison comes as some prisoners have previously died due to deprivation of medical rights in Iranian prisons. Tanaz Kolahchian, a lawyer, stated to Voice of America following the death of Faramarz Javidzad in prison that although his charges were not political, being Jewish increased the pressures and hardships on him. Additionally, see: Death of a Jewish prisoner in Iran; Tanaz Kolahchian: His Jewish identity increased the pressures and hardships. Earlier, reports had emerged regarding increasing concerns about the health of Fatemeh Sepahri, a political activist opposed to the Islamic Republic, who was transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad after open-heart surgery. Additionally, see: Fatemeh Sepahri's prohibition from meeting her children; prison officials: Her statements in the hospital were 'a crime.' The mother of Maryam Arvin brought her engagement dress to the grave of this deceased lawyer after her arrest. Three political activists have been sentenced to a total of over 61 years in prison. Exclusive; efforts by intelligence agencies to dissolve the Human Rights Commission of the Bar Association in Iran. Warning about the health of Ali Abdi in the custody of the IRGC: 'He is on the verge of blindness.' The Tehran prosecutor 'after a week' allowed the transfer of Narges Mohammadi to the hospital. Nasrin Sotoudeh was released from prison after posting bail.