Majid Sadeghpour
12/2/15
Despite the euphoria (of some) surrounding the nuclear deal between Iran and the P+1 nations and Iran’s regional show of force, Ayatollahs are demonstrating a classic but often ignored sign of weakness.
On November 30, the condition of political prisoner Ali Moezzi, who is kept in Ward-8 of Evin Prison, turned critical but authorities prevented his transfer to the hospital. In the city of Ahwaz’s Karoun prison, regime is also preventing medical treatment to Gholamreza Kalbie.
Additionally, sick political prisoner Meisaq Yazdan-nejad was transferred out of Gohardasht (Rajai Shahr) prison on October 26th on the pretext that he is being transferred to the hospital. It was then determined that Mr. Yazdan-nejad had instead been transferred to Ward-A2 of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Evin and subsequently moved to Ward-240 of the same prison.
Iran has long been established as the epicenter of Islamic Fundamentalism, international terrorism, and a regime, which utilizes state-sanctioned systematic torture as a political tool. Methodical deprivation of medical treatment (of political prisoners) under any pretext but especially as its President Hassan Rouhani portrays a moderate veil, is demonstrative of the regime’s outright vulnerability/illegitimacy. Such desperate behavior is nothing short of a crime against humanity and a blatant violation of international laws and conventions.
International community and the U.S. government must hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable for their actions. Lets be brave as these political prisoners are. Lets state the truth and thus empower a nation of 80 million people (instead of their oppressors) who are democracy’s natural allies.
Sadeghpour is Political Director for Organization of Iranian American Communities
