Political prisoner Soheil Arabi is in horrible health conditions due severe pain caused by “blunt trauma” and infection in the body and frequent coughs.
This is while no physicians remain in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary and the prisoner’s inquiries to get medicines have got nowhere. Prison authorities do not account for the life and health of prisoners.
He needs treatment and surgery due to a physical injury and severe pain but has been denied medical treatment.
In light of low hygiene in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, the large number of prisoners and the spread of Coronavirus in cities across Iran, the life of prisoners, particularly political prisoners, detained in this prison are in danger.
Prison authorities have repeatedly prevented treatment of Soheil Arabi to add to his suffering in prison.
In April 2019, he was beaten up in prison and suffering physical damage.
His illness has aggravated after nine months of denial of medical care. Infection has spread in his body and he has severe pain.
Soheil Arabi explains about his illness: “After writing and publishing an article about the conditions of prisoners detained in ward 1 of the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, I was transferred to Ward 1A of the IRGC Sarallah Garrison. The interrogator there got mad after asking a few questions and kicked me hard in the testicles. When I came to, I was in Firouzabadi Hospital. The physician told me that I had suffered a blunt trauma for which I must be operated on as soon as possible to remove my left testicle. After eight months, however, I have not been sent to hospital. Infection has spread to other parts of my body and I feel severe pain in the legs.”
On January 21, Soheil Arabi rejected the pressures by the Intelligence Ministry to express remorse for his recent statements condemning the killing of innocent people on the ground and in air by the Revolutionary Guards and Khamenei’s plainclothes agents. He was subsequently sent from Evin Prison to exile in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary.
