Ailing human rights defender forced to return to prison after surgery leave

iran-hrm – Critically ill prisoner of conscience and human rights defender Arash Sadeghi, was returned back to prison only three days after a surgery and despite his further need of special medical care.
He was assessed by doctors, who recommended he be allowed a 25-day respite to receive special medical care he needs.
Arash Sadeghi, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, underwent a limp-salvage surgery in Tehran’s Khomeini Hospital on September 12, and was returned back to prison on September 15.
Due to his critical condition, doctors said that he had to be hospitalized three days prior to the surgery to receive vitamin injection and nutrients. They contacted the prison from the surgery unit and asked the authorities to take Sadeghi to the hospital. But the authorities claimed that the prosecutor has not issued a permit.
According to an informed source, after the surgery, security agents did not allow the prisoner to be placed in a recovery room. Arash Sadeghi had been handcuffed and shackled to his hospital bed throughout his 3-day hospital stay. He was allowed to go to the bathroom only three times a day.

Since June 2016, Sadeghi, 38, has been serving a 15-year prison sentence for his peaceful political activities.
He was arrested on September 6, 2014, at his stationery store in Tehran by the Sarallah Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Intelligence Organization. He was detained along with his wife and two friends in the Intelligence Organization-controlled Ward 2-A of Evin Prison.
Sadeghi and his wife were released on bail seven months later on March 14, 2015.
Initially Sadeghi and Iraee were tried by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in May and July 2015 by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. Iraee was in the hospital and was not able to attend but the judge refused to postpone the trial to hear her defense.
Judge Salavati’s verdict was upheld by Branch 54 of the Appeals Court in March 2016 for the charges of “collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the state,” “spreading lies in cyberspace” and “insulting the founder of the regime.”