Transfer of Mohammad Najafi from Prison to Hospital After Stroke Symptoms During Visit

Mohammad Najafi, a imprisoned lawyer, was transferred to the hospital after showing stroke symptoms during a visit with his family. Previously, despite his deteriorating health condition, prison officials had prevented his transfer to a hospital. Yashar Tabrizi, a human rights activist and former political prisoner, announced on social media that Najafi was moved from Evin prison's medical facility to Lqman Hakim Hospital in Tehran under strict security measures, including shackles and handcuffs. Tabrizi emphasized that this imprisoned lawyer has been deprived of medical treatment for years. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning lawyer and human rights activist, stated that Najafi has spent the last eight years in Shazand, Arak, and Evin prisons and has been denied leave for over 18 months. Najafi, a lawyer from Markazi Province, was arrested in January 2018 after informing about the death of Vahid Heydari, a young protester in custody in Arak, and accepting to represent his family. Ebadi noted Najafi's commitment to defending the families of victims, political prisoners, and defenseless citizens, highlighting his silence on a government murder case in Arak without any expectation of reward. She added that he has been deprived of medical care while under severe pressure. Ebadi reported that Najafi was finally transferred to the hospital in very poor physical condition with severe heart symptoms, but was restrained to the hospital bed with handcuffs and shackles, a practice that has been historically illegal and inhumane. She criticized the Islamic Republic for claiming to send Ahoo Daryai for medical treatment while allowing sick prisoners to approach death in prisons. Ebadi emphasized that the responsibility for any harm to Najafi lies with the security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic, demanding his unconditional release. A source close to Najafi's family had previously reported that he was denied appropriate medical care despite his poor health, raising concerns among his family and loved ones. According to a previous report, Najafi suffers from heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and had endured severe ankle pain for four months, yet prison officials prevented his transfer to a hospital. Najafi has been sentenced to over 21 years in prison on 14 charges across several cases, with at least five cases opened against him during his imprisonment. He was released from prison in 2019 regarding his first case but was re-arrested four days later in connection with another conviction and transferred to Arak prison. In May 2023, he was moved from Arak prison to Evin. The treatment of lawyers by the Islamic Republic's intelligence and judicial officials has intensified in recent years, particularly following lawyers' support for protesters during nationwide protests, leading to the arrest and imprisonment of several of them.