Media in Iran Reported that Sadegh Zibakalam has Cancer

According to some media reports in Iran, Sadegh Zibakalam, a university professor who was imprisoned recently, has been diagnosed with cancer. Azar Mansouri, a political activist in Iran, also wrote on her X account that it is "expected" for the head of the judiciary to issue his release order "without delay" so he can undergo treatment outside of prison. Sadegh Zibakalam was arrested on Sunday, May 13, while it was announced that he would attend the book fair to unveil his new book titled "Why They Don't Arrest You and What Happens in the End?" and was transferred to prison. Asghar Jahangir, the spokesman for the judiciary, emphasized a few days after Zibakalam's arrest that his "arrest and detention were in accordance with the law" and that he has "previous convictions." The Mizan news agency, the media outlet of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, also confirmed Zibakalam's arrest, stating that he has "multiple legal cases" against him, with three cases having definitive and enforced sentences. This judiciary-affiliated media also linked his arrest to his comments and interviews with media and social networks, claiming that the statements of this university professor were "false" and "without claim and document." According to published reports, Zibakalam was sentenced to "18 months in prison and a two-year ban from activities in parties, political groups, and cyberspace" for the charge of "propaganda against the regime," and in another case with the same charge, he was sentenced to "one year in prison." Additionally, he was sentenced to "six months in prison" for the charge of "spreading false information," which was confirmed despite an appeal to the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic. Following the enforcement of these three sentences, Sadegh Zibakalam was arrested and transferred to prison. Zibakalam had previously told Voice of America: "With every tweet I write, I worry that the prosecutor will file a complaint against me." Pressures and interventions by the security institutions of the Iranian government in universities, as well as the crackdown on protesting professors and students, have intensified since September 2022, following the onset of nationwide protests.