The condition of imprisoned Gonabadi Dervish in ward 350 of Evin prison, Ashin Karampour , who is suffering from lumbar spine pain, has seriously deteriorated due to denial of his transfer to medical centers.
The Iranian intelligence authorities have denied Afshin Karampour, medical leave to receive the medical treatment he needs.
According to a report by Majzooban Noor, Afshin Karampour has been suffering from low back pain for a long time and despite physicians’ recommendations for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his lumbar spine, he has been prevented from receiving treatment outside of prison since one year ago. He suffers an injury at the second and third vertebrae in the spinal column and all of his toenails have become bruised which its cause is still unknown. As his pain has intensified he can not perform his normal daily functions right now.
Forcing jailed Dervishes to use handcuffs and prison uniform is the reason that he has been denied a transfer to the hospital.
It’s a long time Judge Salavati has ordered for placing jailed Dervishes in handcuffs and shackles. Previously also as an illegal action, judge Salavati had stated that, “transfer of imprisoned Dervishes in ward 350 of Evin prison to the treatment centers is only upon the consent of the Ministry of Intelligence and should be with wearing prison uniform, handcuffs and footcuffs.” As jailed Dervishes have refused to do so, all of them were deprived of their right of access to appropriate health-care services. Although according to the first paragraph of Article 235 of Executive Regulation of Prison Law, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience are exempt from wearing a prison uniform, using handcuffs and footcuffs during their transfer to medical centers, jurisdictions, education and training centers. This kind of violations and illegal interferences in medical treatment of ill Dervishes by judge Salavati has created many problems for jailed Dervishes.
The reports indicate that on last Monday 5th Esfand 1392 (Feb 24, 2013) following the denial of urgent medical treatment for Ashin Karampour, other imprisoned Gonabadi Dervishes in ward 350 of Evin prison refused to go to the visiting room as a protest against prison officials obstruction of justice and then gathered behind the main door of the ward and demanded to eliminate obstacles for his transfer. The gathering ended after the Evin prison director Mr. Momeni, as intermediary promised to meet their demands. But on Tuesday after the return of jailed Dervish Afshin Karampour to the ward 350 in a wheelchair, it was clear that despite promises by authorities by an illegal action, prison officials had taken Afshin Karampour to a room in the prison infirmary and hid him from other prisoners by using of hypnotic analgesia and painkiller injections. So this ill prisoner was held incommunicado for more than a day in this room. Then, Hamid-Reza Moradi and Mostafa Daneshjou who were admitted to Tehran Heart Center, in protest action against this such violent way to deal with ill prisoners , returned to Evin prison and now refusing medication in protest against massive interference by the judicial authorities with medical treatment of jailed Dervishes.