Political prisoner Akbar Bagheri was harassed and tortured after undergoing surgery in a hospital with handcuffs.
Since being returned to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, he has been kept in a filthy place called ‘quarantine’.
After two years of enduring pain and being denied medical treatment in prison, Akbar Bagheri was transferred to Loghman Hospital in Tehran on February 20, for hemorrhoid surgery.
According to an informed source, Bagheri’s family did not know anything about his condition after he was taken to the hospital. Prison authorities, with strict security measures, did not even allow his family to make phone calls and kept the family completely unaware of his condition.
Bagheri had been handcuffed and shackled to his hospital bed throughout his 2-day hospital stay. According to the same source, doctors had said that Akbar Bagheri should walk and follow the medical instructions after the surgery. But, he was not even allowed to use the bathroom in the patient’s room.
The political prisoner was transferred to the prison quarantine on February 22, where new prisoners and those suspected of having COVID-19 are being held.
Due to the prisoner’s physical condition and his need for medical care, quarantine condition is detrimental on his health and puts him at risk of COVID-19 infection.
Political prisoner Akbar Bagheri suffers from severe anemia, digestive, kidney and liver problems. He had previously developed a high fever due to a recurrence of his illness. Fever, anemia and severe physical weakness have caused muscle aches and insomnia.
Akbar Bagheri was arrested on February 21, 2018 in the protest gathering of defrauded investors outside the parliament in Tehran. Security forces arrested him and confiscated his mobile phone as evidence of crime.
He was subsequently taken to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, detained for 48 hours in solitary confinement under torture and interrogation. In March 2018, he was relocated to Ward 4 of Evin Prison.
After four months, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison for “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the state.” The Revision Court set a bail of 250 million Tomans for his temporary release. After three weeks when his family provided the bail, the judge presiding his case stopped his release.
On May 15, 2019, he was relocated without prior notice from Evin to Ward 2 of the Great Tehran Penitentiary.
Akbar Bagheri has a six-year-old daughter and an elderly mother whom he supports. His family lives in Kermanshah and cannot visit him due to long distance.
Akbar Bagheri had also been arrested in May 2017 when security forces raided his home. They confiscated his personal belongings and documents. After 20 days, he was released upon his family’s persistent inquiries.
