Honoring the efforts of lawyers who defend the rights of the afflicted and oppressed across the country.
According to the reports, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, Abdolfatah Soltani, Mohamad Seyfzadeh, Nasrin Sotudeh, Mostafa Daneshjoo are among prisoners whose lives are at risk due to authorities’ conscious failure.
Universal Tolerance Organization (UTO) has received worrying news about physical and mental health of aforementioned lawyers who are currently under supervision of security forces. However, according to Iran’s prison regulations, prison officers are responsible for health care and medical needs of prisoners in prison otherwise they have to provide assistance from out of prison. The head of clinic in every prison in Iran is required to visit patient prisoners every morning of everyday to monitor and supervise the state of prisoners’ health, nutrition, treatment as well as personnel of medical and health care center. Despite that, reports show that Iran’s judiciary power and prison officers’ have failed to provide necessary health care requirements for political prisoners specially lawyer prisoners.
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a prominent lawyer in Iran defended many political prisoners including students, and every other person who needed legal support for free. He was arrested by security forces many times but he has been in prison since 8th July 2009 and his office was closed following his arrest. After being put in isolation cell, judge Salavati, the head of Tehran’s revolutionary court number 15 convicted him to 9 years of prison, lashes, and fine and banned from working as a lawyer for 10 years. His conviction has been due to his job by which he defended the rights of political and civil prisoners.
His brother, Seyed Hassan Dadkha has told Human Rights International Campaign in Iran:
“Mohammad Ali did not recognize his daughter last week during his visit in prison and spoke desultorily. I also visited Mohammad from a cabinet; he couldn’t speak properly that surprised me as he used to be very articulated and out spoken, before that, he never made mistakes or paused in between when he talked. I don’t know what has happened to him. He was not the same person when I saw him last week.”
It is apparent from above mentioned that Islamic Republic of Iran has ignored his mental and physical health conditions.
Mr. Abdolfatah Soltani another prominent lawyer in Iran who also defended many political and civil prisoners was sentenced to 18 years of prison, and exile to Barazjan city and 20 years banned from working as a lawyer in February 2012 by Tehran’s revolutionary court number 26 headed by judge Pirabas. As a result of mental and physical pressures, Mr. Soltani has become ill and finally permitted to continue treatment in Sina hospital out of prison since 11th November 2012 Mr. Soltani suffers from Ulcer, Anemia and Gastric which requires continuous treatment under supervision of specialist.
Mr.Mohammad Seyfzadeh is also among the most prominent lawyers in Iran who defended many political and civil rights activists. He has been in prison from March 2011. He has been sentenced to 2 years of prison, and banned from working as a lawyer for 10 years guilty of acting against national security of country. Mr. Seyfzadeh should have been transferred to hospital in 19th December 2912 due to kidney stone, but prison officers have been resisting to take him to hospital. He went under operation in October this year for Hemorrhoid. Mr. Seyfzadeh has been transferred to a very dangerous prison in Iran called Rajaishahr 26th December 2012 while promised to be taken to clinic for medical care.
Nasrin Sotudeh also accepted to defend many human rights activists, especially women and children’s rights activists. She has been jailed from 4th September 2010 accused of acting against national security of country and propagation against the regime. She was convicted to 11 years of prison, no permission to exit Iran for 20 year, and also 20 years of prohibition of civil rights.
Her mental and physical conditions are very distressing following her hunger strike for 49 days to protest against security pressures carried out on her child.
Mr. Mostafa Daneshjoo, defended many Darvish in Gonabad. It has been 22 months that he is in prison waiting to be trialed. He was arrested last year in Sari by security forces and transferred to Tehran. His case is still open in Tehran’s revolutionary court number 15. He suffers from Asthma and lung disease who should receive medical care, but the judge responsible for his case does not allow him any kind of treatment.
Hereby Universal Tolerance Organization emphasizes that every prisoner has the right to benefit from health care and any kind of medical treatment as well as the right to visit friends and family, be in touch with outside of prison and receive leave out of prison. Universal Tolerance Organization strongly condemns the illegal arrest, unfair trial, and ill-treatment of political prisoners especially lawyers and asks the government of Iran to have more tolerance of hearing different voices and stop oppression, mental and physical pressure of Iranian citizens.
Universal Tolerance Organization also requests United Nation’s Human Rights Commission and other international human rights organizations to have more careful supervision on Iran’s government’s actions concerning prisoners.
Lawyers House,
Source: Universal Tolerance Organization