Reza Salmanzadeh Suffers Stroke in Prison; Source: Authorities Withhold Information from Family

An informed source told Voice of America on Friday, April 14, that Reza Salmanzadeh, a political prisoner held in Qazal Hessar prison in Karaj, has suffered a stroke and has been transferred to a hospital. According to this source, prison officials, after Salmanzadeh's stroke and deterioration of his health, have refused to provide any information regarding the hospital where he is being held. The family of Salmanzadeh learned of his transfer outside of prison through calls from fellow inmates and remains unaware of his condition. This informed source also stated that the Salmanzadeh family has visited several hospitals but still does not know where prison officials have taken Reza Salmanzadeh or his current condition. Previously, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran reported on the transfer of Reza Salmanzadeh, the father of Mahdi Salmanzadeh, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, to a hospital. 'Havaran' reported: 'Reza Salmanzadeh was transferred from Qazal Hessar prison to a hospital on Thursday night, April 13, following a deterioration in his health and symptoms of a stroke.' Havaran had previously written about this prisoner, stating that Mr. Salmanzadeh faced charges including 'Moharebeh' (waging war against God) and 'Efsad fil Arz' (corruption on earth) following a fire in Evin prison in October 2022, and has not yet had a trial. Reza Salmanzadeh was transferred from Evin prison to Qazal Hessar prison on September 3 of last year. Last week, he, along with political prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, stated in an audio file obtained by Voice of America that 'freedom seekers' including 'Reza Rasayi, Adel Khoshkar, Habib Daris, Mojahid Korkor, Mansour Dahmarde, Abbas Daris, and Milad Azmoon' are on the 'government's execution list' and at risk of execution, emphasizing that 'what harms the victim more than anything is the silence of the spectators.' According to these two political prisoners, the Islamic Republic 'takes harsh revenge on the youth of Iran whenever it faces failure in its foreign and domestic policies. One day, it sends its mercenaries into the streets as moral police to harass girls and women, and another day, it issues unjust and fabricated execution sentences for political prisoners and freedom seekers, and on another day, it creates propaganda and media maneuvers to distract the nation while secretly executing our innocent children.' Reza Salmanzadeh and Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, in this message recalling the executions of Majid Reza Rahnavard and Mohsen Shekari 'in ignorance,' stated: 'We will not remain silent in the face of this unbridled tyranny.' They recalled the hunger strike of several political prisoners on Tuesdays, adding: 'For 14 consecutive weeks, every Tuesday, we have been on a collective hunger strike in Qazal Hessar prison due to the execution of freedom seekers, and in the event of the execution of any of our freedom-seeking loved ones, we will not only remain silent but will also use more options to prevent the crimes of the regime.' These two political prisoners called on the people of Iran, political and civil activists, and international human rights organizations not to remain silent against the oppression of the tyrants, adding: 'Before a noose is woven for the necks of freedom seekers in Iran, be their voice so that another regret is not placed on our hearts by the regime of murder and madness.'