Taher Naqvi Refuses to Wear Prison Clothes and Use Handcuffs and Leg Irons; Authorities Prevent His Transfer to Hospital

Taher Naqvi, a prisoner lawyer in Evin prison, was prevented from being transferred to the hospital on Wednesday, November 2, due to his refusal to wear prison clothes and use handcuffs and leg irons. According to the Harana news agency, this is not the first time Mr. Naqvi has been denied hospital transfer and medical examinations due to his opposition to wearing prison attire and restraints. Recently, this imprisoned lawyer has faced a new case filed by Evin prison officials, with charges including 'disturbing public order' and 'insulting prison officials.' Harana noted that previously, a prison officer named Reza Asadi Naderabadi physically assaulted this imprisoned lawyer after a verbal altercation and transferred him to the prison quarantine section. According to this report, Taher Naqvi has been sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, to one year in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and to five years for 'gathering and colluding.' Additionally, he has been sentenced to two years of travel ban and two years of deprivation of social rights and membership in parties as supplementary punishment. On February 6 and 7, 2023, many Azerbaijani civil-political activists, including Taher Naqvi, Morteza Parvin, Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, Hossein Peiri, Karam Mardane Mostali Beigloo, Baqer Hajizadeh Mazraeh, Saeed Jamalzadeh, and Ayaz Seyfkhah, were arbitrarily arrested by security agencies in various cities and transferred to Evin prison. These activists have been held in Evin prison for nearly 10 months without a fair trial and without access to a designated lawyer. In this regard, according to a report by the Kurdish human rights organization Kurdpa, 24 human rights organizations and groups issued a statement on October 18, stating that 'these activists have faced numerous difficulties in accessing their legal rights since their arrest' and that since their detention, 'due to judicial interference and the involvement of security agencies, they have been deprived of access to a designated lawyer, medical services, and temporary release on bail.' The statement noted, 'These actions, along with the prevention of access to appropriate medical services for prisoners needing special care, constitute a clear violation of human rights and domestic and international laws.' The signatories of the statement criticized the unjust judicial process against these political prisoners, adding: 'On July 4, during the court session of Morteza Parvin, Baqer Hajizadeh, Ayaz Seyfkhah, and Kamal Noori in Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Judge Salavati, in response to the detained activists who said they were tortured by security forces during their arrest, stated: 'If you had cooperated during the interrogation, you would not have been tortured.' These organizations and groups called for the 'immediate and unconditional release of all Azerbaijani Turkish activists and other political prisoners who are held in Evin prison without a fair trial,' 'conducting a fair trial and providing the necessary conditions for defending the legal rights of these prisoners,' 'providing appropriate medical services for all prisoners in need of medical care,' and 'investigating and punishing the officials and agents involved in torture, assault, and violations of the rights of these activists.' The statement was signed by the Abdolrahman Boroumand Center, the Human Rights Association of the Azerbaijani People in Iran - Ahrar, the Balochistan Human Rights Group, the Human Rights Defenders Center, Femena, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Kurdpa, the Siamak Pourzand Foundation, and the Alliance for Iran. Previously, the organization 'Front Line Defenders,' which protects human rights defenders, called for the 'immediate and unconditional release' and dismissal of charges against Taher Naqvi. This human rights organization stated in a statement that Taher Naqvi's 'legitimate human rights activities' were the reason he was targeted by the Islamic Republic and emphasized the need for his immediate transfer to a medical center and access to necessary medical care.