Political prisoner Arzhang Davoudi, held in the quarantine section of the Zahedan prison is reportedly under torture is reportedly under torture despite poor health. There has been no news of Davoudi since March.
After months in a prison cell, in a message, Davoudi had said that he had been transferred to a small solitary confinement unit and was deprived of family visits, phone calls and any communications with other prisoners. He was also deprived of free airtime, reading, television, and access to medication and food suitable for his health condition.
The former teacher had started a hunger strike and refused his medications since March 3, 2017 protesting harsh prison conditions.
Davoudi had described the reason for his hunger strike as such: “I am on hunger because I have been deprived of free air and sunlight since August.”
In his latest message, Davoudi had said that his sight was becoming dim and he was deprived of the most basic rights. “I’m being held in a small cell that is known as ‘solitary confinement no. 2.’ I am deprived of visits, phone calls, communications with other prisoners, free airtime, walks, reading books, TV, medication, suitable food…”
The 64 year old prisoner was taken to this facility’s quarantine ward on January 6, 2018 where inmates with murder and drug charges are held. During this period Arzhang Davoudi had been denied medical care despite suffering from from diabetes and cholesterol as well as heart diseases.
The 64 year old prisoner sent his last message three month ago and there has been no news of him so far.
Political prisoners in Iran, including elderly inmates who have challenged the authorities or filed complaints are singled out for harsh treatment.
Davoudi had stressed in a March message he had sent from Zahedan prison:
Hunger strike for a bit of air and sunlight
34 days pass from my hunger strike. I merely want some air and some sunlight, of which I’ve been inhumanly deprived since August. This shameless and lengthy suppression of my rights has worsened my heart condition and diabetes. It has caused my eyesight to become dim. In February, when I was returned to Zahedan prison, my physical conditions further deteriorated, because I’m being held in a very small cell, known as ‘solitary no.2’ of the prison’s quarantine section.
I’m deprived of visits, phone calls, communications with other prisoners, free airtime, walks, reading books, TV, medication, suitable food…
Fellow compatriots,
Certainly, the vicious practices of the regime’s authorities vis-à-vis prisoners, especially those exiled from their hometowns, is far from the customs of the brave people of Sistan & Baluchistan Province [in southeast Iran]… [Iranian regime Supreme Leader] Ali Khamenei… knows very well that only officials of this religious theocracy ruling our country carry out such vicious practices. Therefore, the very harsh measures seen in the prisons of this province is not only imposed against political prisoners. This nature is literally seen in all forms of this regime’s authorities who always resort to force.
“Therefore, I am expecting Mr. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hossein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, to dispatch observers to inspects these medieval era prisons.
