Iranian authorities continue to deny medical care to Ayoub Pourkar, a 69-year-old political prisoner suffering from multiple severe health conditions. Pourkar, who has been imprisoned for 16 years, faces critical heart, gastrointestinal, and severe arthritis issues, particularly in his knees. Despite his dire condition, prison officials have refused to transfer him to a hospital for necessary treatment.
Ayoub Pourkar, a supporter of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), was arrested in January 2009. His arrest followed an unlawful search of his personal emails and phone records, which allegedly revealed contacts with members of the opposition group. Pourkar was subsequently subjected to torture during his detention
On November 28, 2009, Pourkar was sentenced to death by Judge Pourabbasi in Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, a sentence later commuted to 20 years in prison by the Appeals Court’s Branch 36. He was convicted of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) through his alleged collaboration with the PMOI/MEK. Before his arrest, Pourkar was a fighter jet pilot in the Iranian military and served during the Iran-Iraq war. However, he was expelled from the military after the war due to his opposition to the government.
Since his initial imprisonment in Tehran’s Evin Prison, Pourkar has been transferred multiple times, enduring harsh conditions in various facilities, including the prisons of Behbahan, Karoun in Ahvaz, Shushtar Detention Center, and currently, Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz. His family, residing far from the prison, faces significant challenges in visiting him due to the distance.
During his incarceration, Pourkar has repeatedly been pressured by Iranian authorities to publicly denounce his political beliefs and participate in televised confessions. Each time, he has steadfastly refused.
The ongoing denial of medical treatment is part of a broader pattern of systemic abuse and neglect faced by political prisoners in Iran.
