World Medical Association Condemns Denial of Medical Services to Political Prisoners in Iran

The World Medical Association condemned the denial of medical and healthcare services to political prisoners in Iran as a form of punishment. Michael Marmot, the president of this independent body, referred in a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to evidence included in a recent Amnesty International report that details the deprivation of medical treatment for political prisoners as a punitive method or coercion for forced confessions. Marmot writes in part of this letter: "We are deeply concerned about the evidence cited in this report and would like to remind you that the Islamic Republic of Iran has accepted the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and is therefore obligated to implement all provisions of this covenant, including Article 12, which recognizes the 'right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.'" Marmot emphasizes that access to healthcare and medical services is a crucial aspect of human rights and that, according to international law, individuals should not be deprived of it due to their imprisonment. United Nations resolutions and regulations regarding the treatment of prisoners state: "Prisoners should also benefit from the same medical services that other members of society enjoy and should have free access to all health and medical services without discrimination due to their legal status." The president of the World Medical Association continues in his letter: "Depriving prisoners of medical services constitutes mistreatment and abuse and can even be considered a form of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, which is explicitly prohibited by all international human rights laws." Michael Marmot urges Iranian officials to stop the denial of medical services to political prisoners as a punitive method and to ensure that investigations are conducted regarding prison officials and staff, including medical personnel, who do not provide these services to prisoners, and that they are prosecuted in cases of proven misconduct. In another part of this letter, he adds to the Iranian leader: "Moreover, we ask that any decisions regarding the medical and healthcare needs of prisoners outside the prison be made based on medical evidence and by qualified physicians, and that non-medical officials have no right to interfere in this matter." "We request these demands from your humanity and sense of justice and hope that you will take immediate action to implement our requests."