Suicide in Iranian Prisons; Death of a Prisoner Sentenced to Amputation and Transfer of Vahid Chavaran to Hospital

Some human rights sources have reported the suicide of two imprisoned citizens in protest against court rulings and the behavior of prison officials. According to these reports, in one of the cases, a political prisoner who attempted suicide was transferred to a hospital, while in the other case, a prisoner sentenced to amputation died after committing suicide. According to reports from HRANA, the media organ of human rights activists in Iran, on Wednesday, January 17, Vahid Chavaran, a citizen from Abdanan, who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court, attempted suicide in prison by 'swallowing pills' in protest against this ruling. Based on investigations by Voice of America, Vahid Chavaran was arrested in the early days of summer this year after months of hiding in mountainous areas. According to HRANA, this political activist was arrested 'while attempting to leave the country.' According to a person close to this political prisoner, Chavaran, who had been in the mountains since Bahman 1401 (January 2023) and had 'become very physically weak,' was arrested following 'forced confessions' due to 'torture' of several detainees during interrogation. HRANA reported that Vahid Chavaran was transferred to Ilam Hospital after his suicide attempt and is currently hospitalized. This political prisoner, who was sentenced by the second branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Ilam, presided over by 'Rajab Mohammadi,' to '12 years in prison in Zahedan,' attempted suicide in protest against this ruling and is currently hospitalized at 'Razavi Hospital' in Ilam. According to this report, authorities are preventing Vahid Chavaran from meeting with his family. In this report, his charges include 'participation in moharebeh (waging war against God) through the use of automatic firearms, disturbing public order, and insulting the leadership.' At the same time, human rights organizations reported that a prisoner accused of theft in Urmia prison committed suicide by taking pills and died. According to HRANA reports, 'Amir Shahbazi' has been in Urmia prison for four years and 'committed suicide by taking pills in protest against the violent behavior of prison officials' who intended to transfer him to solitary confinement. Meanwhile, 'Hengaw' reported that this prisoner was facing a sentence of 'finger amputation' and after taking pills, 'died due to delays in transferring him to medical facilities.' Amputation is one of the forms of corporal punishment that, despite warnings from international human rights organizations and officials, the Islamic Republic continues to implement in some cases. International human rights organizations have consistently criticized the implementation of these punishments, which Amnesty International describes as 'a gross violation of human rights.' In contrast, Islamic Republic officials defended the punishment of 'amputation' at a special human rights session of the United Nations held in October this year.