Iran jails withhold prisoners' medical care to force confessions, Amnesty International claims

As international concern mounts over the fate of aMontreal-based academic jailed in Tehran, an Amnesty International
report claims Iranian authorities regularly put political prisoners'lives at risk by denying them medical care.

The report found that prison staff withhold specialized care andmedication, refuse medical releases, intentionally disrupt treatmentand launch reprisals against prisoners who go on hunger strikes.

The human rights organization concludes "strong evidence" indicatescare is deliberately withheld in some cases as a means to extract"confessions" from political prisoners or to intimidate or punishthem.

Since Amnesty International is not allowed to operate in Iran,the report is based on interviews with lawyers, former prisonersand other "well-placed" sources, cross-referenced with medicalreports when possible.

Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada,described the report's conclusions as "deeply troubling."

It reveals "the degree to which Iranian authorities use healthcare as a tool of repression, as a way to punish prisoners, as a wayto force prisoners to confess, and simply as a way to further therepressive tactics that are the calling card of the Iraniangovernment," he told The Canadian Press.

New worries forHoma Hoodfar

Although the report does not specifically mention jailedCanadian-Iranian professor Homa Hoodfar, Neve said it neverthelessraises concerns given the 65-year-old's poor state of health.

He said the retired Concordia University anthropology professorsuffers from a neurological illness and had a mild stroke last year.

"Because the family has been denied access to her, as has herlawyer, we have no idea if she is receiving the medication she sodesperately needs," he said.

One ofHoodfar'sformer students said she andHoodfar'sfriendsand family are "very, very concerned about her health."

MonaTajalisaid her former professor suffers from aneuromuscular disease that causes severe muscle fatigue and requiresdaily medication.

"I'm just so worried that because this disease is not verywell-known, those who have imprisoned her might think it's beingmade up or not a very serious condition, when in fact is is a veryserious condition," she said.

Hoodfarhas conducted research on Muslim women in various regionsof the world.

She was first arrested in March after travelling to Iran to visither family and conduct academic research.

Hoodfarwas released on bail butrearrestedin June.

Iran's semi-officialISNAandTasnimnews agencies have reportedHoodfarhas been indicted on charges, but the family and federalofficials say they haven't been able to corroborate thatinformation.

Prisoners face range of violations

At least nine of the 18 prisoners whose cases are listed in thereport are being held in the same notorious prisonwhereHoodfarhasbeen kept since she was arrested in June on unnamed charges.

Others at Evin prison reported a range of violations that includebeing denied medications or tests, being returned to jail againstmedical advice and having their health concerns dismissed bydoctors.

One man was reportedly forced to return to his cell 24 hoursafter cancer surgery.

A female prisoner, Narges Mohammadi,reported being handcuffed and tied to a bed during routine medicaltests.

Hossein Rafiee, a 71-year-old former university professor whosedaughter is a Canadian permanent resident, is being kept in asection of the jail the report describes as "severely overcrowded,poorly ventilated, infested with insects and does not have enoughbeds and toilets."

Rafiee's family reported he is not getting regular medicalcheck-ups, raising concerns he is not receiving the right dose ofmedication for his high blood pressure and heart condition.

Women prisoners especially at risk

The report found that women at Evin prison face additionalbarriers to getting access to care because medical staff at thefacility are nearly all men.

"On several occasions women prisoners who experienced healthproblems were denied emergency medical tests or other treatmentbecause it was deemed inappropriate for them to be treated by malemedical staff," the report read.

Woman were also reportedly subjected to "sexual slurs andharassment" for failing to comply with strict veiling regulations.

Iranian officials did not respond to Amnesty's attempts tocontact them, but have reportedly used local media to deny
mistreating prisoners.