Dire Health Conditions and Neglect in Iranian Prisons

Iranwire – Taraneh Alidoosti, Mustafa Al-Ahmad, Bahareh Hedayat, Narges Mohammadi, Arash Sadeghi, Forugh Taghipour, Zohreh Sarv, and Nasrin Javadi are among the many prisoners afflicted with unknown or incurable diseases, a number that continues to rise with each passing day.

Despite this alarming trend, relevant institutions, including the prison organization and the judiciary, turn a blind eye and attempt to conceal these facts.

What occurs within Iran’s prisons when inmates succumb to illness one after another?

Detention, interrogation, and incarceration, even under the best and most standardized conditions, foster an environment conducive to contracting various diseases.

“However, within the prisons of the Islamic Republic, the situation exacerbates, significantly heightening the risk of prisoners falling prey to a myriad of illnesses,” said Majid Bamdad, a rheumatology specialist based in Germany.

Stress and Nervous Pressure Underlying Certain Diseases

Bahareh Hedayat, a political prisoner, revealed in February that, according to medical experts, some cells within her uterus are in the early stages of cancer.

In April 2018, Arash Sadeghi received a diagnosis of “chondrosarcoma,” a form of malignant bone cancer, while incarcerated.

Due to the failures of the prison authorities and their neglect to pursue treatment for two years, his illness metastasized and spread throughout his body.

Alireza Rajaei is another political detainee who received a cancer diagnosis in recent years.

He lost his right eye and part of the bones on the right side of his face after surgery, as prison authorities prevented him from receiving timely treatment.

Omid Kokabi, an esteemed physicist, also developed kidney cancer while in prison, resulting in the loss of one of his kidneys.

These cases represent just a fraction of the prisoners afflicted with various diseases, including cancer.

Majid Bamdad, in an interview with IranWire, shed light on the suffering of prisoners from these illnesses.

“Medical science has yet to pinpoint the exact causes of certain diseases, including cancer. However, we know that factors such as heredity or exposure to pathogenic conditions can elevate the risk of contracting such diseases,” he said.

He added, “We hear accounts of how prisoners, particularly political detainees, endure detention, interrogation, and trial. We can categorize this process as a conducive environment for illness. Additionally, individuals in such circumstances may also suffer from heart diseases, digestive disorders, and more.”

Bamdad further said, “According to statistics released last year by the director-general of the non-communicable disease management office of the Ministry of Health, Iran sees approximately 85,000 to 90,000 new cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually.

“Unfortunately, we lack statistics on the prevalence of diseases like cancer among prisoners in general or political detainees specifically. However, it is evident that the stressful conditions of imprisonment in Iran contribute significantly to the prevalence of certain diseases among inmates.”

Pathogenic Drugs: A Silent Menace in Iran’s Prisons

Taraneh Alidoosti, a prominent artist and former political detainee, has recently made headlines due to her illness post-imprisonment.

Detained for her support of nationwide protests in 2022, she has been “blacklisted” by the Ministry of Guidance for refusing to adhere to mandatory hijab regulations.

Previously, Alidoosti’s mother, Nadereh Hakim Elahi, revealed on a live Instagram broadcast that her daughter was suffering from an unknown illness.

Confirming this, Alidoosti’s lawyer disclosed that she has been diagnosed with “Dress” syndrome, attributed to drug interactions.

Similarly, Saman Yasin, a protest rapper, reported a week after being transferred to the Razi Psychiatric Center in Tehran that he experienced physical and mental instability following the injection of an unknown substance at the center.

Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi also fell victim to the administration of unknown drugs.

The issue of administering drugs to prisoners dates back several years.

Mahmoud Sadeghi, a former MP, revealed after the December 2017 protests that prisoners were coerced into taking pills that adversely affected their health.

However, the prison authorities and security measures in Iran have consistently denied any forced administration of drugs to prisoners.

A former prison doctor, speaking anonymously to IranWire, emphasized the lack of restrictions on drug prescriptions within prisons.

He revealed instances where prison or security officials instructed medical staff to administer undisclosed drugs to prisoners.

According to him, one commonly used drug in prisons is Cortone, prescribed for various ailments despite its significant side effects, including mental disorders, digestive issues, hypertension, elevated blood sugar, menstrual irregularities, osteoporosis, and cataracts.

Meanwhile, Majid Bamdad, the doctor in Germany, highlighted the correlation between stress levels induced by incarceration and the development of autoimmune diseases.

He cautioned against the excessive use of Cortone, which may lead to permanent side effects.

Mustafa Al-Ahmad, a filmmaker and former political detainee, is among those who, according to his lawyer, developed an autoimmune disease post-release.

The health hazards faced by prisoners in Iran extend beyond the administration of pathogenic drugs.

Instances like the acute poisoning and subsequent death of political detainee Sasan Niknafas in 2021 underscore the ongoing risks faced by inmates.

Bamdad emphasized that prisoners’ health is also influenced by factors such as nutrition and mobility, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the issue.

Deprived of Sun, Nutrients, and Movement: The Harsh Reality of Prison Life

The Executive Regulations of the Prisons Organization outline the minimum food program for each prison: Breakfast should consist of bread, cheese, and tea, while lunch or dinner should include fresh or dry vegetables, rice, potatoes, onions, beans, dairy products, eggs, and seasonal fruits.

Additionally, meat dishes should be provided at least three times a week for both lunch and dinner.

However, according to the testimonies of many prisoners, the daily food rations often fall short of these regulations, posing significant challenges for inmates, particularly those reliant on prison meals due to limited financial resources.

The former prison doctor revealed to IranWire, “In the prisons I’ve worked in, fruits and vegetables were rarely included in prisoners’ daily meals, leading to severe vitamin deficiencies and complex, incurable diseases such as joint pain, visual impairment, internal bleeding, and depression.”

He further explained, “Protein intake is also insufficient, with prisoners receiving much less than the recommended amount. Protein deficiency compromises the immune system, increasing the risk of infections and exacerbating various health issues.”

Another concern is the lack of sunlight exposure in Iranian prisons.

Despite Iran’s abundant sunshine, prison architecture and ventilation systems often limit inmates’ access to natural light, resulting in vitamin D deficiency.

This deficiency can elevate the risk of diseases like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and cardiovascular issues, while also contributing to depression.

While a prisoner’s sentence may finish, the health complications stemming from arbitrary arrests, intense interrogations, lengthy sentences, and incarceration in unhealthy conditions often persist, potentially impacting the individual for life.

The repeated occurrence of infections among prisoners with pre-existing conditions underscores the disregard for human life within the judicial system of the Islamic Republic and the ongoing violations of human rights within prison walls.